M4 Macs: what we know so far!
Issue 409 Autumn 2024
macformat.com @macformat

Create great
movies now!
Edit to perfection with iMovie

50 tips & tricks for your next upgrade
Surf safely
y!
6 best VPNs
on test

Logic Pro
for iPad 2
In-depth review

Kit out your
home office

Desks > accessories

Get cooking
with iPhone
Recipe app advice

By the time you read this, Apple will have revealed
its next major upgrades for iPhone – with big things
expected for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro and
iPhone 16 Pro Max, from improved cameras to
all-new chips that will help you make the most of
the features in iOS 18 – including Apple Intelligence.
To that end, this month’s lead feature (p20) will
help you discover the major changes found there,
whether you’re upgrading your iPhone to the latest
model or not. We hope you find it useful.
Whichever iPhone you own, shooting videos of
friends, family, days outs and holidays are a great way to capture precious
memories of special events, but are you making the most of them? On p62,
you’ll discover the best ways to edit and enhance the videos you’ve created
using iMovie on Mac – and it’s not as scary or as tricky as you think. Our
in-depth guide will explain how and why.
And while you’re at your Mac, could your office space do with a tune up?
On p70, you’ll discover some great options for making it easier, more
comfortable and more productive to use, whether you have a dedicated
room set aside or perch your Mac on your kitchen table or on your lap.
Finally, we take a look at the six best VPNs (p86) – virtual private network
services that can help make using the internet safer and more secure.
Enjoy the issue and don’t forget to write in to letters@macformat.com
and let us know your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!

Meet the team
Jo Membery
Operations Editor
Jo’s finally back from her
summer break and has
85GB worth of iPhone
videos to show us.
Matchsticks at the ready –
it’s going to be a long night!

Paul Blachford
Art Editor
After reading our Kit Out
Your Home Office feature
(p70), Paul now lords it over
us from his standing desk,
while delegating art queries
to his pot plant, Kevin.

Ian Osborne
Contributor

ROB MEAD-GREEN
EDITOR
editor@macformat.com

Ex-MacFormat staffer
Ian’s been toying with all
the new changes included
in iOS 18. You can see what
he’s discovered in our
superguide on p20.

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AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 3

Issue 409
Autumn 2024
macformat.com

20

6

M4 MACS: EVERYTHING
WE KNOW SO FAR
Rumours of a full-line update

SUPERGUIDE
What’s coming with the new operating system?

APPLE CORE
6 RUMOUR & NEWS
The latest updates from Cupertino and beyond

9 APPS & GAMES
Our top picks of the month for Mac and iOS

10 CRAVE
The hot new gear we’re lusting after

12 OPINION
Apple AirPods with a case screen – yay or nay?

14 FACTS & FIGURES
Celebrating 17 years of the iPhone in numbers

SUBSCRIBE
TODAY!
16

MACFORMAT INVESTIGATES
What’s next for Apple TV+?

4 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

& SAVE
50%
TURN TO PAGE 34

Image credit: Apple Inc

Issue 409 CONTENTS

44 Use Apple’s Freeform

62

Create
great
movies
now!
APPLE SKILLS

Turn your video clips
into slickly edited
stories with pro
production values

APPLE CHOICE
78

HARDWARE
78 SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB
79 BlueAnt Soundblade

38 SHARE MEDIA WITH FRIENDS

80 Logitech MX Keys S Combo For Mac

Use SharePlay with Apple TV+ and Music

81 Anker Prime 250W Charging Station
82 Soundcore Boom 2 Plus

40 PROTECT YOUR MAC
Keep viruses and ransomware at bay

83 Satechi Thunderbolt 4
Docking Station

42 RUN WINDOWS GAMES
Install Windows apps and games with CrossOver

84 HP OfficeJet Pro 8122e

70

44 USE FREEFORM
Create a shared project in Freeform

46 COOK A DELICIOUS DINNER
Import and follow recipes with Crouton

48 TRACK THE SUN’S POSITION
Follow the sun using the Sunlitt app

50 CREATE CUSTOM WALLPAPERS
Customise your iPad’s Lock and Home Screens

KIT OUT
YOUR
HOME
OFFICE
Create the perfect
working environment
in your own space

52 MONITOR YOUR FITNESS
54 OPTIMISED BATTERY CHARGING

86 Group test: Virtual
Private Networks

92 Mercury Weather

How devices make their batteries last longer

93 The Star Named EOS
94 Logic Pro for iPad 2.0

GENIUS TIPS
Howard Oakley solves all
your Mac hardware, software
and iOS and iPadOS issues

86 Group test: VPNs for Mac

SOFTWARE

Use Gentler Streak to optimise your exercise

56

85 Umbra Cup Lamp, TRIBIT StormBox 2

96 App round-up: Six apps for getting
fit on walks and runs

76

BACK
ISSUES
Head here if you’ve
missed an issue

98 STORE GUIDE
Get help with picking accessories
and apps to go with your Apple kit

105 NEXT MONTH
What’s coming in MF410 on 15 October

106 ONE MORE THING…
Why Apple’s AI can still beat Google Gemini

Image credits: Apple Inc, Oakywood, Proton AG,
Western Digital/SanDisk Corporation

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 5

THE LATEST NEWS AND RUMOURS

Apple are rumoured to
be updating the entire Mac
line over the next year.

HOT TOPIC!

M4 Macs: Everything
we know so far
A massive array of Mac upgrades is on the way
round this time every year,
speculation starts mounting
about which new Macs Apple
is on the cusp of releasing. This year,
though, that speculation has ramped
up even more than usual, as not only
are new chips just around the corner,
but we could see even more Macs get
a tasty upgrade than usual.
Let’s start with the Macs we expect
to see first. This autumn, it’s likely that

A

Every MacBook Pro
is in line for a new
M4-series chip
6 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

three key Mac ranges will get upgraded
to the M4 chip series at an October
event: the MacBook Pro, the iMac and
the Mac mini.
Starting with the MacBook Pro, every
model is in line for a new M4-series chip.
That means an entry-level 14-inch
MacBook Pro with M4 chip, plus higherend versions with M4 Pro and M4 Max
chips in both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes.
This upgrade is likely to be more or less
limited to the chip, though, with very
few other changes expected. Tweaks
to the body, screen and everything
else will have to wait.
Ironically, perhaps the biggest
revision this year will be seen in
Apple’s smallest computer: the Mac

mini. Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman
has reported that Apple will release
a totally redesigned Mac mini this year,
with a chassis that is “possibly half the
size” of the current M2 model and similar
to the Apple TV 4K in terms of footprint.
That would be a major upgrade to a
device that has kept an almost totally
unchanged design for close to 15 years.
Turning to the iMac, it looks like
Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer will
join the M4 ranks in 2024, with the new
chip replacing the M3 in the current
device. Don’t expect much else new
there, though, beyond perhaps a new
colour option or two.
Intriguingly, Gurman also states that
Apple is still working on a larger iMac,

Image credit: Apple Inc

The super-thin chassis of the iPhone 17 Air will help
it stand out from the rest of the iPhone lineup.

iPhone 17 catches Air
Apple has spent the last few years
experimenting with different iPhone
sizes – think the mini and Plus models
of recent times – but next year it’s
apparently going to try something
different: a slimmed-down model.
This would sit between the iPhone 17
and iPhone 17 Pro, Bloomberg’s Mark
Gurman says, offering something

“snazzier” than the standard iPhone
without the performance (or cost) of
the pro-level devices.
This mystery product will be called
the iPhone 17 Air, Gurman believes,
and it will come with a much thinner
chassis than any iPhone that Apple
currently sells. Eventually, Gurman says
Apple wants to bring this design to all

one that could be a replacement
for either the 27-inch iMac or
the iMac Pro, both of which were
discontinued in recent years.
However, the reporter alleges
that “it’s unclear if [this larger
iMac] will be an M4 product or
something that comes the
following year or later.” In
other words, there aren’t many
new details on this device yet,
but it’s something we should
keep an eye on.

More in 2025

Apple Intelligence
for iPhone SE
pple’s affordable
iPhone SE is heading
for a major revamp
in 2025, with a fresh design,
a speedy chip and support
for Apple Intelligence all
rumoured. According to X
leaker Ice Universe, the iPhone
SE 4 will come loaded with an
A18 chip – the same as the one
in the iPhone 16 – as well as
either 6GB or 8GB of memory.
Interestingly, those specs
will make it compatible with
Apple Intelligence, bringing
Apple’s AI platform to even
its cheapest phone. Rumours
have also claimed the iPhone
SE will finally get an all-screen
design, meaning it will ditch
the Home button, too.

A

The Mac mini’s upcoming overhaul could be its largest visual upgrade
in years, possibly halving in size with a total physical redesign.

The updates won’t stop there
either, as next year, Apple is apparently
planning to update a slate of other Macs.
That starts with the MacBook Air, which
should get the M4 chip upgrade at some
point in the spring. We haven’t heard
much else in terms of what this new
model might get, but we wouldn’t expect
a redesigned body since Apple unveiled
a new chassis with the M2 MacBook Air
just a couple of years ago.
Elsewhere, the Mac Studio and Mac
Pro should get new M4-series chips in the
summer (potentially at WWDC). These
products are more likely to receive new
hardware designs, and it wouldn’t surprise
us to see the Mac Studio follow in the Mac

Image credit: Apple Inc

of its iPhones, but this won’t happen
until 2027 at the earliest.
If you’re in the market for a new
Apple phone but aren’t enticed by the
iPhone 16 range, it might be worth
holding out for another 12 months
until the iPhone 17 Air arrives, giving
you a standout device that (hopefully)
won’t cost the earth.

mini’s footsteps and get a smaller overall
look. The Mac Pro, meanwhile, is due
a redesign, as its current chassis was
designed for Intel chips that needed
beefier cooling configurations than
Apple silicon chips. With the 2025 update,
a more compact design might emerge.
If all these predictions prove to be
correct, Apple will update its entire Mac
range within one calendar year – a highly
unusual occurrence. Why the rush to push
out all these M4 devices? There are
suggestions that Apple wants to upgrade
much of its Mac hardware on an annual
basis. If it achieves that with the M4, it
could signal the shape of things to come.

The iPhone SE 4’s A18 chip will enable it to
run Apple Intelligence despite its low price.

APPLE
NEWS
ROUNDUP
PRO iPHONE
CAMERA
BOOST
MECHANICAL
APERTURES
ON THE WAY?
> When the iPhone 17
launches in 2025, at
least one model could
come with a mechanical
aperture. This would
allow for more accurate
portrait effects, which
are currently achieved
using software. It would
let you choose your
iPhone aperture size
when taking a photo,
affecting how much
light reaches the
camera’s sensor and
your image’s depth of
field. Expect it to be
limited to pro-level
iPhones at first.

APPLE PAY
OPENS UP

Apple Intelligence could charge
you for extra features, but it’s
unlikely to happen for a few years.

Apple Intelligence might get
paid-for tier
Won’t arrive until at least 2027, rumours claim
pple Intelligence is free to use, but
that might not always be the case.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark
Gurman, Apple is considering whether to
introduce a paid-for tier with added benefits
at some point in the future.
Gurman says one of Apple’s ideas is to keep
the base system free and launch something
akin to “Apple Intelligence+” with extra
features. So far, Gurman hasn’t elaborated
on what Apple Intelligence’s paid-for extras
might be. Other analysts have suggested it
could cost $20 (about £15) a month and would
be aimed at corporate or education users.

A

Apple has been framing Apple Intelligence
as the biggest revamp to its devices in years,
and it’s likely that all the research that went
into it – as well as the ongoing server costs –
will have cost the company a pretty penny.
With that in mind, we shouldn’t be too
surprised that Apple is considering charging.
Gurman has added that it’s unlikely we’ll
see the paid-for version of Apple Intelligence
until 2027 at the soonest, meaning we should
have a few years of free usage ahead of us
at least. What Apple includes in the paid-for
upgrade – and whether it will be worth the
price – remains to be seen.

In-air gestures could come to
iPhone, iPad and Mac

MORE APPS TO
ACCESS NFC CHIP

A new way to work with your devices

> Apple Pay’s
contactless system has
been under lock and
key since it launched
in 2014, but regulatory
pressure is forcing
Apple to open it up to
third-party app makers.
This goes beyond
payments and also
covers car, home and
hotel keys, tickets, ID
cards and more. That
said, these third parties
will need to enter a
commercial agreement
with Apple, agree to its
rules and pay a fee to
access its NFC chip.

ne of the Vision
Pro’s best features
is the way it lets
you control apps and
on-screen elements by
waving your hands in the
air to perform gestures.
Now, it looks like that
functionality could head to
a bunch of other Apple
devices in the future.
According to a freshly
published patent, Apple is
considering ways of adding
this feature to the iPhone,
iPad and Mac. Interestingly,
some of the patent’s
illustrations show people
using gesture controls on

8 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

O

tablets and computers, all
without wearing a headset,
suggesting the feature will
be directly built into the
iPhone or Mac and won’t
require a Vision Pro.
These gestures might
make it easier to use your
devices – you could potentially
control them from across the
room, for example – but would
also require learning a new
interaction system. But given
how intuitive people have
found the Vision Pro’s in-air
controls, that might not be
such a problem.
Apple has been exploring
the idea of in-air gestures for

The Vision Pro’s gesture system might
make its way to other Apple devices,
according to a new patent.

years, so the company seems
to be taking the concept
seriously. Whether it will ever
make it into an actual product
is another matter, and since
the information merely comes
from a patent, it’s best not to
get your hopes up just yet.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Apps & games APPLE CORE
APP OF THE MONTH

Media
Picks
What you should
be playing and
reading this month

[A L BU M]

[M AC A PP]

The Greatest Love

GoodLinks 2 £9.99

London Grammar
£8.99

Save your links for later
If you’ve ever found a link
or article that you just don’t
have time to read right now,
GoodLinks is the app for
you. It lets you save these links for later
consumption, complete with a focussed, ad-free
reading experience, customisable tagging tools
and superb organisational abilities.
In version 2 of the app, GoodLinks adds
highlighting and notes. Now you can emphasise
important information in your links, making it

London Grammar’s
fourth album explores the
idea that “making music
should be fun,” says lead
singer Hannah Reid, who
adds that, “We’re gonna
make that happen.”

simpler to bring key highlights to the fore.
These notes can be exported in Markdown
format for increased compatibility with
other apps, too.
The updated version also adds support
for new Shortcuts integrations that can
retrieve, edit, open and delete your highlights.
And there’s a new optional GoodLinks
Premium subscription that adds extra features
(including highlighting) that are yours to keep
forever, even if you unsubscribe.

[AU DIOB O OK ]

Someone in the Attic
Andrea Mara
£7.99

This edge-of-your-seat
thriller taps into our fears
of what happens when
evil invades our safest
sanctuaries. When
someone’s in your attic,
how do you escape?

[iO S A PP]

[iOS GAME]

[M AC GA M E]

FREE (IAPs)

FREE (IAPs)

£19.99

Halide is one
of the best iOS
photography apps
out there, and in version
2.15 it’s unleashed Process
Zero. This lets you take
completely raw, unprocessed
images, stripped of all the
tweaks and adjustments your
iPhone makes, giving you an
unparalleled ability to edit.
Why you need it: It gives
you more control over your
photos than ever before.

Have you ever felt
that a dream was
more than just
fantasy? That’s the premise
of Superliminal, where falling
asleep transports you to a
dream world where nothing is
what it seems. With puzzles
that take their cues from
optical illusions and skewed
perception, it encourages you
to think outside the box.
Why you need it: It readily
rewards sideways thinking.

Arco’s beautiful
landscapes,
branching story
that puts you in full
control, and innovative
“simultaneous turn-based”
combat make it an enticing
take on the RPG genre. Enjoy
its expansive world as you
explore “three tales forged in
bloodshed, laced with magic,
and united by revenge.”
Why you need it: It’s an
excitingly inventive RPG title.

Halide Mark II

Superliminal

Image credits: Ngoc Luu, Lux Optics Inc, Noodlecake Studios Inc,
Franek Nowotniak, Max Cahill, José Ramón Garcia, Antonio Urubi,
Panic, Ministry of Sound Recordings Ltd, Metal & Dust, Sony Music
Entertainment, Andrea Mara, Transworld, Quite Interesting Ltd

Arco

[PODCAST]

Quite A Good Sport
An amusing, intriguing
look at the world of sport
from the front lines to
behind the scenes,
brought to you by the
creators of QI and No
Such Thing As A Fish.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 9

APPLE CORE Hot new kit

THE GEAR WE’RE LUSTING AFTER

The Cambridge Audio Evo One
can stream wirelessly from
Spotify, Tidal and more.

Cambridge Audio Evo One
> £1,299 > From cambridgeaudio.com
> Combining retro chic with high-tech
features, the low-slung Cambridge Audio
Evo One has everything you need to really
make your music and movies sing. Chief
of these is its 180-degree sound array, which
uses 14 speakers to deliver sounds in all
directions, and you can even use it as part
of a multi-room setup, thanks to its support
for AirPlay 2, Google Home and Roon.
Made from 50% recycled materials
with a FSC-certified real wood walnut

10 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

veneer, it also includes a 6.8-inch colour
display that can be used to show album
artwork, a clock, or digital VU meters.
Onboard you’ll find Bluetooth, HDMI
and RCA (phono) stages for connecting
to your other devices, a TV, and even to
a turntable. Plus, it also includes support
for music streaming services (such as
Spotify and Tidal) and has an internet
radio, so you can enjoy your favourite
DAB stations too.

Enjoy the sound blasting from six woofers,
four midrange drivers and four tweeters.

Image credit: Cambridge Audio

Hot new kit APPLE CORE

AOC 16T3EA
> £150 > From aoc.com
> The last time we looked at a portable monitor
from AOC, it was the Gaming 16G3 (#MF399).
As stylish and as accomplished as that was, the
new 16T3EA may be more up your street. Designed
to look much more business-like, it comes with a
15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with ultra-narrow
bezels, stowed in a robust metal body with a
pop-out stand on the back. And yet it’s still
12.5mm thin and weighs just 830g.
Capable of a maximum 250 nits of brightness,
it also includes a single USB-C port for power and
connection to your Mac. It’s also just as capable
when watching movies and playing games as it is
for when you just need to get work done, thanks to
its built-in speakers and 3.5mm headphone jack.
You can even use it in portrait orientation.

The AOC 16T3EA is a thin,
light, portable monitor.

-

HOZO NeoRulerGO

JBL Tour PRO 3

> From £54 > From hozodesign.com

> £280 > From uk.jbl.com

> The Measure app for iPhone is great
for sizing things up in a pinch, but if you
really want to measure things accurately
give the NeoRulerGO, erm, a go. This
pocket-friendly laser tape measure comes
with 93 built-in scales ranging from
architecture to maps – all of which can
be shown on the built-in 1.14-inch colour
display or via the free MEAZOR 2.0 app.
Accurate to within 1mm and able to be
used continuously for up to 10 hours
using its built-in battery (it also offers
up to 90 days charge on standby), the
NeoRulerGO weighs just 45g.

> While Apple is rumoured to be adding
a display to the case of its AirPods, it’s
far from the first – as these wireless
earbuds from JBL show. Available in
Black and Latte finishes, the earbuds
come with a Smart Charging Case that
has a colour 1.57in touchscreen display
on the front – handy for viewing track
details, Caller ID and more. The earbuds,
meanwhile, last for up to 44 hours
between recharges (when used with the
charging case) or 11 hours when not.
They also include fast pairing, spatial
audio and Bluetooth 5.3.

Audio-Technica
AT-LP70XBT
> £219 > From audio-technica.com

Image credits: AOC International (Europe) BV, HOZO Design Co. Ltd, Harman International Industries Inc, Audio-Technica Ltd

> The perfect partner for the Cambridge
Audio Evo One opposite, this is a great
turntable for anyone looking to get their
vinyl fix. Available in bronze, black and
white with silver highlights, it can spin
both 33 and 45rpm discs, connecting to
your hi-fi gear either via Bluetooth or
by using its built-in phono output. The
turntable’s tonearm comes with a
AT-VM95C stylus cartridge included, with
the option to upgrade to a higher quality
version if needed. And the turntable can
be set up and ready to play in minutes.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 11

APPLE CORE Opinion

John-Anthony Disotto…
THINKS AIRPODS WITH A SCREEN
ON THE CASE WOULD BE AN
EXAMPLE OF TECHNOLOGY
GOING TOO FAR
irPods, everyone’s favourite wireless earbuds,
have reached a point of stagnation with few
hardware improvements to write home about
over the last few years. The AirPods Pro 2 are two years old,
the AirPods Max launched nearly four years ago and don’t even
have a USB-C charging port yet, and the AirPods 3 get the job
done with three-year-old hardware.
Software improvements aside – like the addition of Voice
Isolation in iOS 18 – AirPods hardware doesn’t get the same
annual refresh as Apple’s iPhones, and that’s okay. Audio
hardware doesn’t need constant updates; the AirPods Pro 2 and
AirPods Max are some of the best consumer-friendly earbuds and
headphones on the market – so why are we clamouring for more?
A patent from June suggests
that Apple could be working on
a pair of AirPods with a display
embedded into the charging case,
and I have to ask: Why?
Yes, AirPods probably need
some kind of minor hardware
refresh and consumers always
want shiny new toys, but why
would anyone want a screen on their AirPods? It got me thinking
and I’ve come up with a few reasons why I think AirPods should
be left as mundane as possible until Apple proves me wrong.
First of all, battery life. AirPods are ol’ reliable
because their battery life is fantastic and the charging
case tops up the battery when you need it. If Apple
was to introduce a display to the AirPods Pro charging
case it would come at the expense of battery life or size
and weight. For portable earbuds, nobody wants
a heavier or larger case, which already puts a huge
asterisk next to the idea of a display on AirPods.
I expect Apple would think about this, but if it was
to hinder battery at all, then it already feels less
feature-rich than a case without a screen.
Second of all, why do we need a screen
anyway? Considering AirPods connect to
the Apple Watch and iPhone, there’s really
no need to have more screens in our lives.
With gorgeous widgets to quickly play
and pause your music from your wrist or
Lock Screen, what issue would a display
on an AirPods case solve? Plus you can
We already have our iPhones and Watches to
change song and volume with the tap of
glance at – do we really need another screen?

A

For portable
earbuds, nobody
wants a heavier
or larger case

12 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Any screen added to the AirPods case would only be
an additional drain on the battery life.

the AirPods stem if you don’t want to get your
smartphone out from your pocket – there’s
really no need for a screen.
Yes, the concept of a screen on a pair of
AirPods sounds like the next generation of the
beloved earbuds. But when I think about it,
I just can’t help but feel like we don’t need
major changes to the tried and tested AirPods
approach. People love AirPods because they just
work, and that magical feeling of automatically
connecting to your device far outweighs any
new unneeded hardware evolution that
probably leads to worse battery life but also
a higher price point as well. I always want
to see Apple innovate, and I’m bored of the
minimal refreshes we see year after year,
but in the case of AirPods, more of the same
would be my preference until Apple shows me
why I need a major hardware upgrade for my
trusty white buds.
ABOUT JOHN-ANTHONY DISOTTO
John-Anthony is the How To Editor at
iMore.com and previously worked at
Apple repairing iPhones at the Genius
Bar. With words in TechRadar and iPad
User Magazine, he prides himself on his
ability to make tech easy to understand.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Meet the
technology
experts

The world’s most comprehensive technology website
An unrivalled mix of news, opinions, reviews and features
All-new design, new homepage, new features and special reports
Backed by over 300 years of editorial experience

www.techradar.com

APPLE CORE Facts & figures

The iPhone in
Celebrate the new iPhone with key stats from its history

29 June
2007
> Launch date of the first
ever iPhone. It had a 3.5-inch
display, a 2MP camera and
just 16GB of storage, but boy
did it change the way we
view our phones.

32GB
> Storage capacity of
the iPhone 3GS, which
launched in June 2009.

X
> Name given to the 10th
anniversary iPhone, which
arrived in 2017. The
iPhone X had a 5.8-inch
display and replaced the
Touch ID sensor Apple
had been using until then
with Face ID biometric
authentication instead.

48MP

5G

5.5-inch

> 2022 gave iPhoneographers
something to be happy about
– the 14 Pro’s camera gained a
48MP sensor, a huge upgrade
over the 12MP one Apple’s
‘pro’ phones had before. The
iPhone 14 wasn’t so lucky.

> Super-fast mobile connectivity
arrived with the iPhone 12
series in 2020. That year also
saw an extended lineup with
the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro,
iPhone 12 Pro Max and sadly
short-lived iPhone 12 mini.

> Size of the display of the
iPhone 6 Plus, which joined
the lineup in 2014. Like
the 4.7-inch iPhone 6,
it sported an aluminum
unibody and included
support for Apple Pay.

14 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Apple Inc

Start a 30-day
digital trial
and get an issue for free*

In iOS 11 or later, point the Camera
app’s photo mode at this QR code
to download our app.
*First-time digital subscribers only.

16 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Apple Inc

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INVESTIGATES

With a small market share, what next
for Apple’s streaming service?
WRITTEN BY

DAVID CROOKES

pple TV+ is successful.
Creatively, at least. In July,
Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s
head of Worldwide Video,
proudly responded to the streaming
service’s 72 Emmy Award nominations
across 16 shows. “It has been an
immensely rewarding morning,” he said,
going some way towards justifying the
$20 billion Apple has spent on original
programming so far.
Yet all is not entirely well. That huge
sum has paid for a relatively small number
of shows, certainly when compared to
Apple TV+’s rivals, notably Netflix,
Disney+ and Amazon Prime. From the
start, Apple decided to go for quality over
quantity, yet despite spending big to snap
up high-profile talent, the service has only
a 0.2% share of TV viewing in the US.
Apple is now reassessing its strategy.
According to a report by Bloomberg,
Van Amburg and his fellow studio chief
Jamie Erlicht have been regularly meeting
with Apple services boss Eddy Cue. It
would appear there is growing concern
the company is being seen as a cash-cow
that’s happy to throw money at projects
it deems worthy.
This had led to the streaming service
spending $6.5 billion on television
programming and $1 billion on creating
movies for cinemas, with the second

A

Image credit: Apple Inc

season of Severance costing more than
$20 million per episode alone. There is
now a desire to reign in spending and
axe shows that aren’t working, Bloomberg
says – but what does this mean for the
future of the service?

Prizes for originality
When Apple TV+ launched in November
2019, its position was clear. The service
would, said Cue, feature new, exclusive,
original programmes, movies and
documentaries including The Morning
Show, See and For All Mankind.
In committing to creating its own
content, the service was following a
familiar path. “When all of the various
services were launching, which largely
coincided with the pandemic, there was
a sense that creating as much original
content as possible was the way to go
because that would ‘prove’ the value
of the service to consumers,” Alan Wolk,
co-founder and lead analyst at TVREV
told MacFormat.
Indeed, the strategy was successful for
Netflix, with Wolk pointing to the early
success of House of Cards, Orange Is The
New Black and Narcos. He says there had
been a rush to produce “HBO-like”
programming – “shows aimed at a more
educated and sophisticated audience,
a subset that includes the sorts of

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 17

APPLE CORE Apple TV+

people who make programming decisions
at streaming services,” Wolk continues.
But prestige shows don’t always work with
mainstream audiences. So while Apple TV+ has
attracted the likes of Michael Douglas, Rashida
Jones, Natalie Portman, George Clooney, Eva
Longoria, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese
– names which barely need an introduction –
and has produced critically-acclaimed content,
viewers aren’t necessarily naturally attracted.
“It’s why the two biggest shows on Netflix
today are The Night Agent and Georgia, neither of
which critics look at kindly but which audiences
seem to love,” says Wolk. “And it’s why there are
more unscripted and reality shows on streaming.”

Fly Me To the Moon made its
theatrical debut on 12 July –
one of a number of Apple
movies appearing in cinemas.

number of top-quality shows that reflect well on
the company. There is no shame in seeing Ridley
Scott’s biopic Napoleon earn five stars in The
Guardian or Scorsese’s Western crime drama
Killers of the Flower Moon starring Leonardo
DiCaprio score 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Having iconic series such as the classic Ted
Lasso does no harm either, and Apple TV+ can
feel proud having commissioned the American
World War II drama miniseries Masters of the
Air, a blockbuster praised for its immaculate
production design. But Apple TV+ is already
looking beyond its own original programming.
In March, the service bolstered its movie library
with more than 50 licensed titles from the likes
of Warner Bros. Pictures, Universal and Sony for
a limited time. It could now add to that portfolio.
Taking on licensed content lets Apple boost
its catalogue with less risk. This, in turn, can
attract viewers and reduce churn, essential
since an All Things Streaming report from
MoffettNathanson showed Apple TV+ was
being used by 11% of US streaming households
– a penetration figure that has remained steady
for three years. By contrast, Peacock had
grown from under 10% to 21%. Paramount+
was also seeing rises.
Apple TV+ also has the highest churn
according to data by Antenna. Netflix’s churn

Taking on licensed
content lets Apple
boost its catalogue
with less risk

Licensed to thrill
In that sense, Apple TV+’s future depends to a
large extent on what it wants to achieve. On the
one hand, it’s likely to continue producing a small

Five must-watch shows on Apple TV+

Sunny

Silo

Slow Horses

Ted Lasso

Bad Sisters

> Proof that Apple is
unafraid to take risks,
Sunny is a quirky, dark
comedy about a woman
teaming up with a robot
to discover why her
family’s disappeared.

> Addictive sci-fi series
about a subterranean
community with a deep
mystery at its heart – is
the surface world truly
deadly, or just being
made to appear so?

> Gary Oldman, Kristin
Scott Thomas and
Jack Lowden star in
this action-packed spy
comedy, based on Mick
Herron’s acclaimed
Slough House novels.

> Heartwarming comedy
about a US football
coach seeking success
with an English soccer
team. It took its eye off
the ball in season three
but otherwise enthrals.

> A brilliantly funny dark
comedy about sisters
who find increasingly
inventive ways to try
to kill off a sociopathic
partner. Now back
for season two.

18 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Apple Inc,

is 2%, Disney+ and Hulu’s is around 5% but Apple
TV+’s is 7%. This, says Colin Dixon, chief analyst
at nScreenMedia, comes back to Apple TV+
having less content overall. He reckons buying
more carefully curated licensed content will help.
This, in turn, could enable Apple TV+ to be more
cautious about the originals it commissions.
Relying less on originals would certainly
ease the financial burden associated with
producing new shows. Napoleon, for instance, is
estimated to have lost $165 million while Killers
of the Flower Moon lost a reported $20 million
during its theatrical run. Masters of the Air cost
around $250 million.
Throwing more licensed content into the
mix is therefore shrewd yet necessary. Movies in
particular are attractive and, the more there are,
the more likely users will stick with a service.
This has been proven by Apple itself – Anthony
D’Alessandro, a journalist at Deadline
Hollywood, dubbed Apple’s original films for
cinema “trinkets to drive global subs to Apple
TV+”. Subsequently, Killers of the Flower Moon
made the all-important Nielsen charts in
January, chalking up 5.1 million hours.

Advertising break
But there are other ways of boosting Apple TV+’s
fortunes. Dixon suggests incorporating free
ad-supported content to retain viewers while
generating a small amount of revenue and
this could be a blistering move. Analysts at
Needham say selling ads on Apple+ could
double the company’s growth rate.
Dixon also says Apple would attract more
viewers if it advertised the service more and
cooperated with non-Apple tvOS providers
to ensure Apple TV+ content appears in

Image credit: Apple Inc

There is live coverage of
all MLS regular season
and play-off matches.

Will Apple go sports crazy?
Streamers are increasingly using
sport as a way of attracting
viewers. Disney+ recently acquired
the rights to UEFA Europa League
and Europa Conference League
football matches in Sweden and
Denmark, Amazon Prime Video was
awarded a Premier League package
in the UK, Netflix secured rights to
the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul bout and
Paramount+ has a range of sports.
Apple TV+ has also got in on the
action. As well as a Friday Night
Baseball show, subscribers can grab

Masters of the Air was delayed
due to the pandemic but it’s
now flying high.

a discounted MLS Season Pass. But
while sport could grow Apple’s
streaming service, it doesn’t seem to
have much of an appetite to go much
further. It didn’t bid for Premier
League rights, for instance, and Alan
Wolk, co-founder and lead analyst at
TV[R]EV, believes it needs a re-think.
“Apple runs ads during live
sporting events, which makes them
very profitable,” he says. “Having
sports makes them much stickier
and makes fans less likely to cancel
the service or churn.”

recommendations and searches. Apple TV+
can also learn from rivals, many of which have
been reasessing how they approach the market.
Netflix and Disney+ have been cracking down on
password-sharing while tweaking packages and
increasing prices.
But there is no magic formula and all
services are looking to strike a balance. Disney+
pursued a different strategy to Apple by going
for, as Disney CEO Bob Iger described, “volume
and not quality”, only to make a $4 billion
loss. Iger told the MoffettNathanson Media,
Internet & Communications Conference:
“As we got into the streaming business in a very,
very aggressive way, we tried to tell too many
stories. Basically we invested too much, way
ahead of possible returns.”
One thing’s for sure, Apple isn’t giving up on
streaming. There is speculation that Apple may
buy another media company or streaming service
with CBS, Paramount, Disney and Sony often
mentioned. They may also pursue more sports
– MLS Season Passes are already available.
Whatever happens, though, you can be sure there
will be some twists and turns along the way.
That’s the TV industry in a nutshell, after all.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 19

What’s coming with the iPhone’s next operating system, and
what can it do for you? Find out with our in-depth guide
Written by Ian Osborne

A

re you excited? This
year’s update to the
iPhone’s operating
system is iOS 18, and there are
some major changes coming.
The most important update
is the introduction of Apple
Intelligence, which Apple
describes as “the personal
intelligence system for iPhone,
iPad, and Mac”. It’s integrated
into the operating systems of
all three device categories,
and it offers opportunities to
create text and pictures right
there on your iPhone.

20 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

The Home Screen and Lock
Screen have been overhauled,
with great new ways to
customise your iPhone. You
can even change the colour of
the app icons. Control Centre
also gets a boost, with
greater opportunities to
adapt it to your own needs.
You can add far more
controls, and spread them
across multiple pages too.
The popular Photos
app gets its biggest ever
redesign, including a new
Collections feature that

organises photographs into
themes without you having
to create albums manually.
You can customise the text
in Messages, and if your
cellular and Wi-Fi connections
are down, you can send a
message by satellite. Look
out too for enhancements
to Mail and Safari, the
introduction of Game Mode,
a great new Passwords app
and new features for
AirPods, Home and Apple
TV. It’s all in this year’s
operating system update!

Image credit: Apple Inc

Which
iPhones
can run
iOS 18?
As you’d expect, the
update to iOS 18 drops
support for a few
handsets. If you have an
iPhone 8 or an iPhone X,
you can’t update. Some
of the operating system’s
exciting Apple Intelligence
features are limited to the
iPhone 15 Pro and later
too, as they require a lot
of processing power. But
even if you don’t have one
of the latest ‘Pro’ iPhones,
there’s still a lot to enjoy.

List of supported
devices
> iPhone 15
> iPhone 15 Plus
> iPhone 15 Pro
> iPhone 15 Pro Max
> iPhone 14
> iPhone 14 Plus
> iPhone 14 Pro
> iPhone 14 Pro Max
> iPhone 13
> iPhone 13 mini
> iPhone 13 Pro
> iPhone 13 Pro Max
> iPhone 12
> iPhone 12 mini
> iPhone 12 Pro
> iPhone 12 Pro Max
> iPhone 11
> iPhone 11 Pro
> iPhone 11 Pro Max
> iPhone XS
> iPhone XS Max
> iPhone XR
> iPhone SE
(2nd gen or later)

Image credit: Apple Inc

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 21

FEATURE iOS 18 superguide

For high-end iPhones
It’s arguably the most exciting new feature,
but what can it do for you?

A

rtificial intelligence (AI) is the
future, and Apple Intelligence
is the Cupertino giant’s
contribution. It’s embedded into all
three of Apple’s new operating systems
– iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia
– and it brings all sorts of Apple siliconpowered features to Apple’s devices.

Introducing Apple Intelligence
at the 2024 Worldwide Developers
Conference (WWDC), Apple’s Tim
Cook claimed it’s “powerful enough
to help with the things that matter
most to you, intuitive and easy to
use, deeply integrated into your
product experiences, grounded in
your personal context and built
with privacy from the ground up.”

A helping hand

Apple Intelligence reads your notifications and
ensures those that have priority are to the fore.

Tim Cook
speaks
Apple is excited about Apple
Intelligence. “We’re thrilled to
introduce a new chapter in Apple
innovation. Apple Intelligence will
transform what users can do with our
products,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s
CEO. “Our unique approach combines
generative AI with a user’s personal
context to deliver truly helpful
intelligence. It can access that
information in a completely private
and secure way to help users do the
things that matter most to them. This
is AI as only Apple can deliver it.”

22 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

The new feature enables your
devices to understand languages
and images, as well as taking action
on your behalf, according to the
way you use them. It will, for
example, organise notifications to
keep unnecessary distractions to
a minimum, but put important ones
at the top of your list.
A key Apple Intelligence feature
is Writing Tools. It’s integrated
system-wide into apps such as Mail,
Notes, Safari, Pages, Keynote and
even third-party apps. In fact, we’re

Writing tools are available throughout iOS 18, and can
help you turn your writing into something special.

promised they’ll be found in “nearly
everywhere you write”.
When, for example, you’ve written
an email in Mail, you can use Writing

Taking action
Apple Intelligence can
take action across your
apps based on Siri
commands. This enables you to
use much more natural speech.
Examples offered by Apple include
“Play the podcast that my wife sent
the other day”, capturing the
information from Messages to use in
the Podcasts app. In a similar vein,
“Play the song Jim texted me” scans
Messages for the text in question,
then plays the song in Apple Music.
If you’re taking a photo, you can tell
Siri to “Flip my camera” too.

Image credit: Apple Inc

iOS 18 superguide FEATURE

Im
mage Playground
As mentioned below, Apple
Intelligence lets you create
images in apps such as
Pages, Keynote, Messages,
Freeform and more. But there’s an
app you can use directly, too. Image
Playground lets you choose from
a range of themes, costumes,
accessories, places and more. Select
a few options, and Image Playground
combines them into a series of light
and whimsical pictures.

Tools to proof it for errors. It can also
rewrite the message to change its
length and feel. Choose from three
tools: Friendly, to make the message
light and informal; Professional to do
the opposite; and Concise, for if you’ve
gone on too long and want to send
a shorter version of what you wrote
without losing anything important.
You can also replace the message
with a short summary, express it as
a list of key points or a table, and
rewrite it as a list.

Personalised pics
But it’s not just for text. Apple
Intelligence can also work with images,
creating its own according to your

Genmoji
Even though there are
thousands of emoji to
choose from, do you ever
struggle to find the one you want?
Apple Intelligence helps you build
your own. A new feature called
Genmoji lets you generate new
emoji, simply by offering a description
of what you want. For example, the
instruction ’T-rex wearing a tutu on
a surfboard’ produces the Genmoji
seen in the picture here. There are
several options available too —
swipe right and left, then choose
the one you want.

Image credit: Apple Inc

If you want to be more specific
than the themes offered allow, you
can simply type a new idea to add it
to the elements that make up your
Image Playground picture. You can
choose from three different types
of picture too; Animation, Illustration
and Sketch.
When you’ve produced a picture, if
you don’t like it, tap the ‘X’ in the topleft corner of the screen. Otherwise,
tap ‘Create’ in the top right.

directions. Wish a friend a happy
birthday in Messages, and you can use
Apple Intelligence to create a birthday
picture of them based on their photo
in Contacts. You can create images
in three different styles – Sketch,
Illustration and Animation – and it’s
available in apps such as Messages,
Notes, Freeform, Keynote and Pages.
The only downside to Apple
Intelligence is it’s very taxing on the
processor. For this reason, the only
iPhones that are capable of taking
advantage of these great features are
the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15
Pro Max, both of which use the A17
Pro chip. Of course, the iPhones Apple
release this year will be able to use

A picture created by combining themes and subject
matters in the new Image Playground app.

Building pictures in Image Playground is great fun,
and you can use them all over your iPhone.

them too, as can any Mac with an
Apple silicon processor and iPads
that use an Apple silicon M1 systemon-a-chip (SoC) or later.

Personal
context
Personal context is
something Apple was
keen to stress while
introducing Apple Intelligence. The
feature analyses data from across
your iPhone and its apps. This is
combined to create an idea of who
you are and what you’re doing, to
help organise your life. For example,
a delayed meeting might make it hard
to get to your next appointment.
Apple Intelligence can curate data
from Calendar, Maps and more to
predict whether you’ll make it.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 23

FEATURE iOS 18 superguide

Customise the
Home Screen
iOS 18 brings great new ways
to personalise your iPhone

T

he new iPhone operating
system has brought us some
fun new ways to customise
the Home Screen. We’ve long been able
to change the wallpaper to one of
Apple’s custom designs or our own
photos, and to add widgets to the Home
screen to keep our key information

Lock Screen
icon changes
You can change your
Lock Screen icons (torch
and camera by default)
to something else from Control
Centre. Tap and hold on the Lock
Screen, then tap Customise. You’re
offered a choice of customising the
Lock or Home Screen; choose the
former. Tap the ‘–’ by the torch or
the camera, then the ‘+’ that
replaces the icon. You can now
choose a new function.

handy. With iOS 18, you can take
things further still.
When using a photo as a
wallpaper, it often looks great
on the Lock Screen where it’s
nearly all visible, but a little tatty
on the Home Screen as it’s partly
obscured by app icons and
widgets. The new operating
system allows you to move
those on-screen items,
positioning them around the
subject of your picture instead
of having to fill the screen from
the top downwards. You can
place them in any open space,
and use different spaces on
each page in your Home Screen.
The choice is yours.
Another new feature is dark
app icons, for when your iPhone
is in Dark Mode. White backgrounds on
icons such as Health, Notes and Home
turn black, the Camera icon is reversed,
with the background in black and the
camera in grey, and Mail becomes a blue

In iOS 18, you can change the colours on your app
icons and widgets to match your wallpaper.

envelope on a black backdrop. They
look much more in keeping with the
rest of the phone this way.
And if that’s not enough, there’s yet
another way to customise the look of

How to Customise your Home Screen in iOS 18 >

Customise
options
1 Access

On the Home Screen, tap and hold any
empty space. The icons jiggle, showing
that the screen is now in its Editing Mode.
Tap the Edit button in the top-left corner,
and from the menu, select Customise.

24 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

2 New options

A menu appears at the foot of the
screen, offering new options. The sun
icon in the top left toggles the view
between light appearance and Dark
Mode. The switch to its right changes the
app icon size from Small to Large.

3 Light & Dark icons

The first three options for the app
icons are Automatic, Dark and Light.
You can tap Dark or Light to use those
versions of the icons at all times, or tap
Automatic so that they change when
the iPhone’s mode changes.

Image credit: Apple Inc

iOS 18 superguide FEATURE

Hiding and locking apps
In iOS 18, you can lock an
app so it won’t open without
Face ID or your Passcode,
and even hide them from the Home
screen altogether. Tap and hold the
Home Screen app icon you want to
lock or hide. From the contextual
menu, select Require Face ID.
Another options window now
appears. ‘Require Face ID’ locks the
app, which can no longer be opened
without your Face ID or passcode.
‘Hide and Require Face ID’ takes it off
the Home screen altogether, but
doesn’t delete the app.
To use a hidden app, scroll your
Home Screen all the way to the right
to get to the App Library. At the foot
of the screen is a folder called
‘Hidden’, which appears to be empty.
Tap it, and your Face ID or passcode
reveals its contents; you can then
tap the hidden app icon to open it.

You can also choose where to place the icons to best
complement your wallpaper design.

You can lock an app, so it can only be opened with
Face ID or your passcode, and even hide it from
the Home Screen in a seemingly empty folder.

your app icons. You can give them a
single-colour tint, to bring a very uniform
look to your screen. This applies to thirdparty applications as well as Apple’s
own. Choose the Tinted option, and your

iPhone displays your icons in shades of a
colour that sits well with your wallpaper.
Use a slider to make them lighter or
darker. If it’s still not what you want, tap
a dropper icon and choose a colour from
your wallpaper, or use a second slider to
set them to a colour of your choosing.

One final note about customising
your Home Screen. There’s now an
option for large icons. These fill more of
the space on your screen, but choosing
this style means you lose the text
underneath, naming the app. Try
it out, and see which you prefer.

4 Tinted icons

5 The dropper

6 Pick your own

Tap the Tinted option and your
icons are all displayed in shades of a
single colour, chosen to match your
wallpaper. The slider at the bottom of the
panel can be used to make them lighter
or darker, depending on your taste.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Tap the dropper tool in the top-right
corner of the panel and you can select a
single pixel from your wallpaper. Drag the
circle around until the square in the
middle is over the colour you want to use,
then release it.

The upper of the two sliders lets
you set any colour, regardless of your
wallpaper. Drag it right and left to
choose one, and when you’re done,
you can use the lower slider once
again to set its strength.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 25

FEATURE iOS 18 superguide

Mail,
Messages
& Safari
What does iOS 18 bring
to these popular apps?

C

ommunication is what the
iPhone is all about, and iOS 18
brings welcome enhancements
to some of its most popular
communications features. The Mail
app gets an overhaul, giving you new
ways to organise and interact with your
inbox. Messages gets more than just
Genmoji. You can also style the text for
the first time, and use more attractive
Tapbacks. Safari redesigns the Reader
experience, and makes it easier to
find the information you’re looking
for. It’s all part of Apple’s ongoing
mission to integrate and fine-tune
their own applications.

Mail’s powerful new features
Your Mail inbox can become
unwieldy if you have too
many unread messages.
Finding what you’re looking for can
be an issue too. This year, the iOS
update brings us On-Device
Categorisation, which divides your
emails into specific categories to
make them easier to manage. The
Primary category focuses on emails

from people you know, time-sensitive
messages and other such important
things. There’s a Transactions
category for receipts and order
confirmations, Updates covers
newsletters and emails from social
media platforms, and Promotions
includes marketing and sales
messages. You can also opt to see
all of your emails at once, of course.
Look out too for a Digest view,
which pulls together all relevant
emails sent by a business, making
them much easier to interact with.
For example, if you book a ticket with
an airline, you might get more than
one email; confirmation, departure
information, and so on. The Digest
View brings these emails together so
you can view them without hunting
them down through your inbox.
The Digest View
collates relevant
emails from a business.

On-Device Categorisation sorts your email and
helps you stay in control of your inbox.

There are facilities that make it
simple to delete or archive multiple
messages from a business too. Just
the thing for trimming your inbox by
getting rid of out-of-date newsletters.
We’re told these features will be
available ‘later this year’, but no date
has been set, so they may or may not
be in the first release of iOS 18.

Image credit: Apple Inc

iOS 18 superguide FEATURE

New Safari features
As always, there are
some new features
coming to the Safari
app. A new Highlights feature
makes it even easier to find the
information you’re looking for.
Where Highlights is available,
you’ll see a couple of purple stars
above the tool icon, found on the
left of the search field. Tap this
icon and you can glean important
information found on the website,
quickly and easily.
Powered by machine learning,
Highlights offers a wide variety
of information. If the web page
is a long article, you can get a
summary so you don’t have to

read it all. If it’s an article about
a specific place, whether a
restaurant, hotel or landmark,
you can find its location, get
directions and view opening
hours. Open an article about a
song or an album, and you can
listen to it too, right there in
your web browser. Highlights is
not available on all websites, but
it’s sure to expand over time.
The Safari Reader view has
also been redesigned. As well as
getting rid of pictures, pop-overs
and other distractions, in iOS 18
it also provides a short summary
of long articles, and gives you
a table of contents too.

The new Reader view gives a summary and a contents table too.

More fun in Messages
The new OS makes the
Messages app even more fun.
Tapbacks, whereby you can
badge an incoming message with a small
graphic, a bit like liking a Facebook post,
have been improved. They’re in colour,
and you can tapback with any emoji too.

A much-requested feature coming
to Messages in iOS 18 is Send Later.
Instead of being sent immediately, you
can schedule a message to be sent at
a time and date of your choosing.
Text formatting lets you use Bold,
Underline, Italics and Strikethrough in

your messages, but also adds some
fun effects. You can use animated text
that grows or shrinks, ripples, jitters
and even explodes. These effects are
only available in iMessages, though,
meaning you can’t use them when
texting Android phones.

How to Use Tapbacks and text effects >

1 Tapbacks

Tap and hold a message that’s been
sent to you by another person. A bubble
appears, from which you can choose
a graphic to send as a reply. Scroll left
to see a selection of emoji. At the end
is an icon that opens the emoji picker.

Image credit: Apple Inc

2 Text formatting

First write your message in the
usual way. Highlight the word or words
you wish to format, and then tap the icon
in the top-right of the keyboard, which
looks like an ‘A’ with speed lines. This
takes you to the formatting tools.

3 Choose your format

At the top of the formatting tools
are icons that add Bold, Italic, Underline
or Strikethrough effects to your text.
The buttons underneath these tools
add other, more fun, effects such as
explosions, ripples and more.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 27

FEATURE iOS 18 superguide

Customise the
Control Centre
Impressive new features!
The Control Centre has had
a major overhaul. In iOS 18,
it’s far more capable and a
lot more customisable. You can now
have multiple pages of controls. If you
open the Control Centre by swiping
down from the top-right corner instead
of diagonally into the middle of the
screen, you can scroll through your

Control Centre has gained some great new controls
for media playback, and they’re easier to reach.

pages with a continuous swipe.
By default, there are pages for
your Favourites, Media Playback and
Communication, but you can add
more if you wish.
To fill these pages, you use the
new Controls Gallery. To do this, long
press on an empty part of Control
Centre’s screen or tap the ‘+’ button
in the top-left corner for Control
Centre’s editing screen. Here you
can rearrange the controls by
dragging and dropping them into
place, and changing their size by
dragging the handle in their bottomright corner. At the foot of this
editing screen, tap ‘Add a Control’
to get to the Controls Gallery.
Controls Gallery works a little
like your Widgets Gallery, in that
it shows a wealth of new options,
with a sample chosen as recommended
for you at the top, and further controls
arranged by their utility or app. To add
a control you like the look of to your
Controls Gallery, simply tap it.

The Control Centre is far more customisable than
before, and it can have multiple pages too.

Apple has made its API (application
programming interface) for the new
controls available to developers, so they
can create controls for their apps. Some
are already available, more will follow.

How to Customise the Control Centre >

1 The editing screen

To get to Control Centre’s editing
screen, open Control Centre and tap and
hold on an empty part of the screen, or
tap the ‘+’ icon in the top left. Tap a
control’s ‘–’ icon to delete it, or drag the
handle in the bottom right to resize it.

28 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

2 Add controls

To add a new control, tap the ‘Add
a Control’ link at the bottom of the editing
screen. Scroll through the new Controls
Gallery and tap one of the new options to
add it to the currently open page on the
Control Centre.

3 New pages

The column of small icons on the
right-hand side of the Control Centre
are your current pages. Tap the circular
icon at the foot of this column to add
a new, blank page, which you can then
populate with controls.

Image credit: Apple Inc

FEATURE iOS 18 superguide

Passwords and privacy
There’s a great new app for password management
The need for privacy is at the
heart of every Apple update,
and iOS 18 is no exception.
Before, when you gave an app access
to your Contacts, it could review all the
people you’ve added over time. This
behaviour has changed, and you can
now set which contacts an app can see.
When you pair Bluetooth accessories
with your iPhone, they become visible to
everything else on the network. In iOS
18, you can pair a device and also keep
it private, as long as the developer builds
this feature into their products.

Passwords is a new app introduced
by iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS
Sequoia, and is also available on Vision
Pro and even Windows, using the iCloud
for Windows app. Building on 25 years
of development of Apple Keychain,
Passwords securely stores information
such as your Wi-Fi passwords, app
passwords, website passwords,
verification codes, shared passwords,
‘Sign in with Apple’ and Passkeys, and
lets you access them in one place.
Boasting an interface that’s immediately
familiar to anyone who’s used the

HOW TO
Use the
Passwords
app
The Passwords
app is easy to
use. Open it with
your Face ID or unlock
code, and you’ll see a
Reminders-like landing
screen. On here you can
search for a specific
password, using the
search field at the top of
the screen. You can start
using Family Sharing too,
or tap the bottom-left
icon to create a new
Passwords Group. The
‘+’ icon (bottom right) lets
you create a new entry.
Tap one of the groups
under the search field to
review individual password
forms, Passkeys or
Security warnings.

30 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Reminders app, Passwords curates your
data into sections such as Passkeys,
Codes, Wi-Fi, Security alerts and Family
Passwords. Needless to say, you need to
use Face ID or the passcode that unlocks
your iPhone to open the app.
The benefits are obvious. If you try
to log into a website but can’t remember
your registration details, you can open
the Passwords app and retrieve it from
there. Not that you’ll have to do this
often. If you use the iPhone’s AutoFill
feature, your login details, including
your password, automatically populate
when you open the website in question.
When you register on a different
website, your details are stored in
Passwords for future use. All of your
data stored in the Passwords app is
synced over iCloud, so it’s available
to you on your Mac, iPad and other
devices as well as on your iPhone.

Manage your data
As well as storing your passwords and
populating login fields, you can also
manage your data through the
Passwords app. Tap the icon at the
bottom-right of the app’s home page and
you can set up a new shared group, so
you can choose passwords to share with
others. Tap on an individual entry and
you can review your username,

You can pair devices with your iPhone but also keep
them private from the rest of your network in iOS 18.

Image credit: Apple Inc

iOS 18 superguide FEATURE

Private Cloud Compute
As we enter the era of
artificial intelligence, the
need to keep your data
safe from those who would exploit
it in ways you’d rather they didn’t
is more important than ever. Most
of the heavy lifting involved in Apple
Intelligence is done on your local
device, so no information is passed
to Apple’s servers. This is why the
feature is only available on Apple’s
A17 Pro and M-series chips.
However, there are times when
your iPhone needs to make a server
request. To avoid having those

The Passwords app is kept private, and can only be
opened using your Face ID or your iPhone Passcode.

password, the website to which it
refers and take a look at the password
itself. This is obscured by default, but if
you tap on it, it’s shown to you and you
can copy it to your clipboard. You can
edit any of this information, and add
notes if you wish too. If you want to
discard an entry, you can delete it
from the editing screen too. Do so and
it’s kept in a ‘Recently Deleted’ folder,
from which it can be retrieved for
up to 30 days after being deleted.
Of course, if you want to get rid of it
immediately, you can do this too; just
go into the Deleted section of the
app, open the entry and tap Delete.
Alternatively, tap and hold it then
choose to Recover or Delete it.
If you have details that aren’t
currently included in iCloud Keychain,
you can enter them manually into
the Passwords app. Tap the ‘+’, and
fill in the details.

Image credit: Apple Inc

servers store or
misuse your data,
Apple has developed
Private Cloud
Compute. This runs
on servers specially
created using Apple
silicon which offer the
same level of privacy
as your iPhone.
When you make a request, Apple
Intelligence works out whether it can
be processed on your device. If it can’t,
it draws on Private Cloud Compute,
sending only the data relevant to the

Private Cloud Compute keeps things private
when contacting servers.

task to be processed on the servers.
Your data is never stored, or accessed
by Apple. Apple tells us this sets a
brand new standard in privacy for AI.

Security
warnings
When looking
through your
passwords in the
Passwords app, some of
those listed might show an
exclamation mark in a red
circle. These passwords
have been found in a data
leak, and are therefore
compromised. Alternatively,
on the app’s home screen,
tap the Security option for a
list of all passwords that are
compromised. If you care
enough about the account
to which it refers, it’s a
good idea to change the
password immediately.
You can hide the alerts if
you want, but we’d advise
changing the password.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 31

FEATURE iOS 18 superguide

Everything else
What else does the iOS 18 update have in store?

T

here’s plenty more in iOS 18.
For example, Game Mode was
introduced into macOS with
Sonoma, and it comes to iOS with this
year’s update. When you’re playing
a game, Game Mode activates
automatically and gives the game priority
over processing resources. It also doubles
the Bluetooth sampling rate, reducing
latency for connected devices such as
your AirPods and game controller.
You can format external drives
connected to the iPhone, and
Podcasts supports chapters, making
it easier to navigate your way around
a show. For safety, you can send videos

to emergency workers using a feature
called Emergency SOS Live Video.
Siri gets a makeover too.
If you also have a Mac running
macOS Sequoia, iPhone Mirroring lets
you control your iPhone from your Mac.
The iPhone screen appears in a window
on your Mac, from where you can use
iPhone apps, send messages, transfer
files between the two devices and more.
Look out too for some new cosmetic
details, such as Night and Fire
background sound options, an animation
on the bezel to show when a button is
pressed and a multicolour option for the
Lock Screen clock.

New in Wallet
A new feature called ‘Tap
to Cash’ enables users to
send and receive Apple
Cash simply by holding their
iPhones together, ideal for paying
your share of a group bill. Also,
when you store an electronic ticket
in your Wallet app, it also offers key
info such as the venue location and
details, recommended Apple Music
playlists and more. We hope these
new features become available
worldwide as soon as possible.

Photos
updated
According to Apple,
the Photos app has
had its ‘its biggestever redesign’. As well as the
regular grid of thumbnails,
there are new Collections
which automatically curate
pictures by themes, without
your having to organise them
into albums. You can swipe
through these Collections,
showing highlights that update
each day and feature favourite
people, pets, places and more.
For iPhones new enough
to use it, Apple Intelligence
has been integrated into the
editing tools, so (for example)
you can get it to do the work
when retouching a damaged
photo or removing background
objects you want rid of.

32 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

More in Maps
For hikers and ramblers,
Maps now includes
topographic maps and
trail networks. Detailed maps of
all 63 American national parks are
included, and we hope British and
European locations will be added
soon. Hikes can be saved for offline
access, and you can create custom
walking and hiking routes.
Topographic maps use contour
lines to allow you to see elevations
in the terrain, so you know in
advance when a planned route
takes you up a steep hill. Much
better than a paper map that
might blow away in the wind.

Image credit: Apple Inc

iOS 18 superguide FEATURE

AirPods, Apple TV and Home

You can interact with
Siri silently thanks to
the AirPods update.

An update to AirPods makes it even
easier to interact with Siri while
wearing a pair. The digital assistant
recognises a nod or head-shake as a
‘yes’ or ‘no’, which is great if you’re in
a crowded room and would rather not
speak. Voice Isolation keeps your voice
clear while making a phone call over
AirPods in windy or noisy conditions
by analysing and removing background
sounds. And Personalised Spatial Audio
is coming to the AirPods when gaming,
keeping you in the centre of the action.
Apple TV+ gets a new Insight
feature. When watching one of Apple’s
original shows or movies, swipe down

on the remote and the actors and
character names are shown. If a song
is playing, this is identified and can be
added to an Apple Music playlist.
Meanwhile, an Enhanced Dialogue
feature means the actors’ voices
are always audible, even when the
background noise is high. Support
for 21:9 projectors is introduced too.
The Home app supports robot
vacuum cleaners, and new guest
features enable you to give people
temporary permission to open your
smart door lock. Home electricity use
metrics will be available too, depending
on your service provider.

Journal

Notes

Accessibility

A new Insights view
displays info about
when you write your
thoughts in the Journal app,
such as writing streaks, a
calendar, how many words you’ve
written and more. The search field
enables you to quickly find past
entries too. And if you’re keen to
keep your writing streak going,
there’s a widget that brings your
current tally to the Home Screen,
which can prompt you to write
if you’ve forgotten to express
yourself today. It’s all great news
for those who like to keep a digital
diary on their iPhone.

There’s an interesting
new tool in the Notes
app. Image Wand uses
Apple Intelligence to transform
a rough sketch into something
far more polished and pristine.
The feature is accessed by tapping
the new Wand icon in the tool
palette. A new image is created for
you, based on what you drew and
also on the words in the note. You
can even circle an empty space
and Apple Intelligence gleans
information from the note to offer
a drawing. It’s perfect for those
who can’t draw, but want to
illustrate their notes.

If you have a disability
that limits the way you
can use your iPhone,
Accessibility is for you, and
several new features are coming
soon. Eye Tracking lets you
navigate the phone and its
operating system just by moving
your eyes. It will be interesting
to see if it works as well while
wearing glasses. For the deaf or
hard of hearing, Music Haptics
use the iPhone’s Taptic Engine
to allow them to enjoy a music
experience, and Vocal Shortcuts
enables you to perform tasks by
making a custom sound.

Image credit: Apple Inc

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 33

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Contact us

EDITED BY

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Email your queries and
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letters@macformat.com

Master Apple
shortcuts
macOS
Cmd is the Command key.
Alt or Opt is the Option key.
Ctrl is the Control key, also
shown as ‘^’ in shortcuts in
the menu bar.
The thick, outlined up
arrow is the Shift key.
The thin, left arrow or
outlined pointer with ‘X’
inside is the Delete key, which
deletes to the left. Pressing
the Function key (Fn) and the
Delete key deletes to the right.
The thin, right arrow key with
a small vertical line at the end
is the Tab key, which shifts the
focus between some controls.

40
WHAT’S INSIDE
38 SHARE MEDIA WITH FRIENDS
Use SharePlay with Apple TV+ and Music

40 PROTECT YOUR MAC
Keep viruses and ransomware at bay

iOS
A tap is a brief contact
of (usually) one finger
on your device’s screen.
To drag is to move a finger
across the screen to scroll
or pan around content.
Swipe means move one or
more fingers across an item
or the screen, then let go.
A flick is like swiping, but it’s
quicker, and is often used to
scroll content more quickly.
Pinch means move two
fingers together or apart,
usually to zoom in or out.
Touch and hold means lightly
rest your finger on an item
and wait for a reaction.

Image credits: Apple Inc, Bitdefender, Devin Davies

42 RUN WINDOWS GAMES
Install Windows apps with CrossOver

44

44 USE FREEFORM
Create a shared project in Freeform

46 COOK A DELICIOUS DINNER
Import and follow recipes with Crouton

48 TRACK THE SUN’S POSITION
Follow the sun using the Sunlitt app

50 CREATE CUSTOM WALLPAPERS
Customise your iPad’s Lock and Home Screens

52 MONITOR YOUR FITNESS
Use Gentler Streak to optimise your exercise

54 OPTIMISED BATTERY CHARGING
How devices make their batteries last longer

46
AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 37

APPLE SKILLS macOS/iOS/iPadOS

Share songs, shows and movies
Use SharePlay with Apple TV and Music to share media with faraway pals
IT WILL TAKE
15 minutes
YOU WILL LEARN
How to share TV,
movies and music
with others
YOU’LL NEED
macOS 12.1/iOS 15/
iPadOS 15 or later;
everyone to be
Apple subscribers

Music, movies and TV shows
are often more fun when they’re
a shared experience – but we
can’t always be in the same
room as all of the people we want to listen
or watch with. That’s where SharePlay comes
in. It enables you to share the same tracks
from Apple Music or movies and shows from
Apple TV with other people, and to chat while

Genius tip!
When you’re watching
with SharePlay, you can
send the show or movie
to your Apple TV by
tapping on the
AirPlay icon.

SharePlay works much the same in iOS: start your
FaceTime video and then open your Music or TV app.

38 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

you listen or watch. As we’ll discover, it’s very
easy to set up and just as easy to use.

What SharePlay doesn’t do
SharePlay doesn’t transmit the audio and
video from your Mac over FaceTime. Instead,
it synchronises your Mac, iPhone or iPad with
everybody else so that their Music or TV app
plays the same thing at the same time,
including any pauses, fast-forwards or
rewinds. That means everyone gets the
highest possible audio and picture quality –
and it means you’re not infringing copyright
by streaming audio or video illegally.
Unfortunately that also means there’s
one big downside: you can’t SharePlay music
from your Apple Music to someone who
doesn’t also have an Apple Music subscription,
and you can’t share Severance with someone
who hasn’t got an Apple TV+ subscription.
But provided you’re sharing with fellow
subscribers, SharePlay works with lots of
iPhones, iPads and Macs: if they’re running
iOS 15 / iPadOS 15 or macOS Monterey 12.1
or later, you can invite them to your
SharePlay party. Carrie Marshall

Image credit: Apple Inc

Share media with friends APPLE SKILLS

HOW TO Share music, movies and TV

1 Start the call

2 Adjust your settings

3 Start to share

4 See what’s sharing

5 Chat about it

6 Share your shows

7 Adjust the audio

8 Say goodbye

9 Share from anything

In order to use SharePlay, you need to
be in a FaceTime video call and the people
you want to share your TV show, movie or
music with must have active subscriptions
or trials to Apple TV+ or Apple Music.
Start your video call as normal.

The FaceTime menu bar icon adds
a bit extra to the pop-up window: you can
see below the video preview that it shows
what song you’re playing. You’ll see a
little Apple Music icon on the photo of
the person or people you’re sharing with.

As before, the FaceTime menu
shows what you’re sharing. If you’re using
an M-series Mac its microphone icon
gives you additional options to improve
the sound of your voice: voice isolation’s
good at removing ambient noise.

Image credit: Apple Inc

When you’re in your FaceTime
call you can access your settings by
tapping the FaceTime icon in your
Mac’s menu bar. If you have multiple
audio devices or cameras you can
switch between them here.

If you’d rather type than talk,
SharePlay enables you to carry on your
conversation via Messages. From the
FaceTime pop-up, tap on the Messages
icon and it’ll open the app for you
without interrupting your video call.

When you want to end the sharing
session, simply close the Music or TV
app. In a thoughtful touch Apple will now
check with you: do you want to end the
show for everybody you’ve been sharing
with, or will they continue after you exit?

To share what you’re listening to,
open the Music app on your Mac and
you’ll now see this menu. The first option
will only play music for you, but if you
click on the second, SharePlay, it’ll share
with everyone on your call.

As you might expect, it works in the
same way with the Apple TV app: start
your video call and then open up TV.
We can’t show a screenshot of the show
actually playing here because Apple has
copy protection that prevents that.

SharePlay works from your iPhone
or iPad too, although the interface is
slightly different. Here’s how it looks in
iOS 18: in addition to the SharePlay and
FaceTime controls we’ve also got the
option to send the song to our Apple TV.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 39

1

2

3

1

2

4

3

4

Notifications

Scans

Safe Files

Web Protection

Work your way through
Bitdefender’s list of
recommendations to tighten
your security further.

Bitdefender offers three
types of scan – the two
automated ones are
accessible via this screen.

When enabled, Safe Files
prevents untrusted apps
from accessing or modifying
files in key directories.

Bitdefender offers the
TrafficLight browser plug-in
to filter web traffic and block
any that’s malicious.

Protect your Mac
Discover how to keep viruses and ransomware at bay with antimalware
IT WILL TAKE
10 minutes
YOU WILL LEARN
How to install and set
up Bitdefender to
protect your Mac
YOU’LL NEED
Bitdefender (from
£29.99 after
30-day trial)

Bitdefender’s
real-time
protection will
keep you safe

The days of Macs being
virtually invulnerable to
malware are long gone, so
there’s good reason to install
some form of antivirus to protect you.
We’re big fans of Bitdefender AntiVirus – visit
bitdefender.co.uk/solutions to cover all the
devices in your household.
Before splashing the cash, give the
program a test run by downloading a free
30-day trial from bitdefender.co.uk/solutions/
antivirus-for-mac – follow the prompts and set
up a free Bitdefender Central account when

If Bitdefender spots a potential problem, it’ll throw up an
alert – this one relates to its anti-ransomware feature.

40 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

prompted. After purchase, you’ll use this
account to download Bitdefender on all your
home’s devices if you need to.
Once installation completes, the dashboard
will appear and you’ll be asked to allow all
Bitdefender security modules to run – click
‘Open System Settings’ followed by ‘Allow’
to give permission to the Bitdefender Agent.
Now scroll up and select Full Disk Access to
grant three components – Antivirus for Mac,
Bitdefender and Core – full disk access too.

Take the tour
Once done, take your time to work through
the list of suggestions from the dashboard
(see above). Not all are mandatory and some
refer to other Bitdefender products like
Password Manager and Digital Identity
Protection – click ‘Not now’ to remove them
from the list. After following the step-by-step
guide opposite, you’re ready to sit back and
relax. Going forward Bitdefender’s real-time
protection will keep you safe and alert you
to any suspicious behaviour. Nick Peers

Image credits: Bitdefender, Apple Inc

Protect your Mac APPLE SKILLS

HOW TO Configure Bitdefender

1 Run scans

2 Review quarantined files

3 Switch on web protection

4 Protect from ransomware

Click Protection in the left-hand pane. The
Antivirus tab allows you to run three types of
scan, including a custom scan for individual
files. If any infections are found, click
Quarantine to view a list of suspect files.

Many attacks and infections originate
from compromised websites. Switch to the Web
Protection tab and click Enable Extension next
to each of your installed web browsers. Follow
any additional instructions.

Jargon buster
Ransomware is a form
of malware that
encrypts personal files
before demanding a
payment in return for
the key needed to
decrypt them.

Review the details shown, then click Delete
to remove permanently. Only click Restore if
you’re 100% confident the file is safe – after
clicking Close, click Open under Exceptions to
exclude trusted items from future scans.

Switch to the Anti-Ransomware tab to
ensure your personal files and folders are
protected, along with your Time Machine
backups. Make sure both switches are on, then
click Protected Files to review what’s guarded.

Genius tip!
If you get irritated
by Bitdefender trying
to upsell other
products, open
Settings, go to the
Other tab and switch
off ‘Special Offers’.

5 Choose what’s protected

By default, your Documents, Downloads,
Photos and Desktop folders are pre-selected
for protection, so any untrusted app wanting
access to these will trigger an alert. Click ‘+’
to add additional files or folders to this list.

Image credits: Bitdefender, Apple Inc

6 Manage access to folders

Next, click Application Access to see
which programs have already been granted
access (well-known apps are given permission
automatically). You can add and remove apps
plus choose to allow or block them.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 41

APPLE SKILLS macOS

Run Windows games
Discover how to run Windows games and apps with CrossOver
IT WILL TAKE
15 minutes
YOU WILL LEARN
How to install
Windows apps and
games with CrossOver
YOU’LL NEED
CrossOver for Mac
(free 14-day trial
version, then £60);
compatible
Windows games

Frustrated that some games
aren’t available for your Mac?
Just because a native Mac build
hasn’t been released doesn’t
necessarily mean you can’t play that game.
There are two ways to run Windows software
on your Mac: one is to use virtualisation
software like VirtualBox or Parallels Desktop,
but while this produces a complete Windows
environment to work in, there’s a performance
penalty that makes many games unplayable.

The alternative is to try a form of
emulation known as a ‘compatibility layer’.
This attempts to run software using your
Mac’s native hardware, ensuring it runs at
maximum performance. The best-known
example of this kind of emulation is Wine
(winehq.org), but while it’s free, Wine is
difficult to use. If you’re serious about
running Windows games on your Mac, we
recommend investing in CrossOver, which
is a more powerful and user-friendly fork of
Wine. The full version costs £60 and comes
with 12 months of free updates and support.
Before spending your money, though, you
can give it a proper test drive using the
14-day fully functional trial.

Install CrossOver

Genius tip!
The first app you
should install is the
Windows version of
Steam, which will open
up access to many more
Windows-only games.

You can install Windows apps as well as games on your Mac
using CrossOver – use the free trial to try before you buy.

42 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Head over to codeweavers.com/crossover
to get started. Click the Free Trial link to
register your name and email address, then
click Download Trial Now. Save the Zip file to
your Downloads folder, then double-click it to
extract the CrossOver application. Doubleclick this and choose ‘Move to Applications
Folder’ when prompted. Nick Peers

Image credits: Apple Inc, CodeWeavers

Run Windows games APPLE SKILLS

HOW TO Run Windows games with CrossOver

1 Search for games

2 Review program ratings 3 Install game
If your game has been tested, it’ll
show up with a rating out of five stars –
anything over three stars should run.
Click the game to access its own
installation page with notes and a details
section that explains how it’ll be installed.

In many cases, CrossOver will do
everything for you. The default settings –
including the type of Windows ‘bottle’ the
game will run in – are usually best left
alone. Click Install, and follow any
on-screen prompts that appear.

4 Test out your game

5 Configure the game

6 Troubleshoot problems

7 Install manually

8 Use pre-made bottles 9 Troubleshooting tips

Open CrossOver where you’ll see a list
of popular apps and games, including the
Windows version of Steam. If your chosen
game isn’t listed here, type its name into
the search field at the top and the list will
update with matches.

Once installed, CrossOver will add
an entry to the game via a Bottles submenu on the left. When selected, you’ll
see shortcuts to launching the game or
app. Double-click this to launch the game
and test that it’s working.

If you can’t find a game in
CrossOver’s database, try installing
it manually instead. Go to support.
codeweavers.com and click Mac
Help followed by ‘Troubleshooting
Unlisted Applications’.

Image credits: Apple Inc, CodeWeavers

You’ll also see a list of options
on the right for further configuring
your game or app if necessary – for
example, you can enable more graphics
technologies, configure game controllers,
reboot or open Task Manager.

New bottles contain the minimum
required to run applications and may not
work with your game; the article includes
a pre-built bottle (The-Kitchen-Sink.
cxarchive) and instructions on how to
use it to boost compatibility.

If your game doesn’t run at all, or
develops problems, visit codeweavers.
com/compatibility – search for the title
and then visit the Tips and Forum
sections of its entry to look for potential
fixes or workarounds.

You can also try running under
a different version of Windows (click
Wine Configuration > Application tab)
and exploring related sites for more help,
such as WineHQ (winehq.org) – Wine is
the underlying app used by CrossOver.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 43

Go further with Freeform
Share your scribbles, discuss your diagrams and have fun in Freeform
IT WILL TAKE
15 minutes
YOU WILL LEARN
How to use and
collaborate with
Freeform
YOU’LL NEED
iPadOS 16.2 or later

Freeform may well be one of the
most entertaining apps Apple
has ever created. Released in
late 2022 for iOS 16, iPadOS 16
and macOS 13 and updated several times
since, it’s now also available on Vision Pro,
and whatever device you use it on it delivers
instant, effortless sharing.
Altogether that makes it a great tool for
brainstorming, for collaborative projects and
for trip planning for multiple people because
not only can you all share images, diagrams,

annotations and text, but you can also share
links to external sites and apps.
In this tutorial we’ll explore how to create
and edit a new board using Freeform’s
intuitive tools, how to add things from other
apps, and how to share what you’re doing
with friends, colleagues or family members.
We’ll stick to the iPad for this one but
everything works the same way on Macs
and iPhones too, although unfortunately
you can’t take advantage of the Apple
Pencil on those devices. Carrie Marshall

HOW TO Create a shared project in Freeform

1 Name your board

Create a new Freeform board and then
tap on the title at the very top left of the
screen. Choose Rename and give your
new board a meaningful name so that
you and the people you’re sharing the
project with can find it later.

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2 Pick up your pencil

Although you can use Freeform
without Apple Pencil, you’d be missing
out on some fun features. Here we’re
scribbling headers using iPadOS’s built-in
pencil drawing tools. You can pinch and
pull with two fingers to zoom in and out.

3 Add some extras

The little toolbar at the top centre
of the screen gives you access to the
drawing tools, sticky notes, shapes and
text boxes. And the fifth icon enables
you to add things from the Camera or
from other apps.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Use Freeform APPLE SKILLS

CONTINUED… Create a shared project in Freeform

4 Add a map

5 Add some images

6 Get some help

7 Get more options

8 Ask a friend

9 Work together

10 See what’s shared

11 Have a chat

12 Do anything anywhere

Here we’ve added a link we copied
from Apple’s Maps app. You can adjust
the size of the preview image to suit your
design but it isn’t a live Maps window:
when you tap or click it, it will open
up the appropriate location in Maps.

If you tap an image you’ll see this
menu, which has extra options. You can
duplicate items or move them forward or
back, add or remove shadows and round
corners, lock them in place or constrain
proportions so they resize perfectly.

This is how your board appears
on the other person’s iPad: in the Shared
section, which is available via the sidebar
when there’s no board open. In addition
to the name and thumbnail you can see
who the board is being shared with.

Image credit: Apple Inc

The fastest way to add multiple
images is to tap the Photos icon and ‘Add
Photos or Videos’. Select the images you
want, tap Add and they’ll appear in a pile
on your board. Tap the background to
de-select then tap each image to move it.

Freeform is at its best when you
share with others. Tap Share – the second
rightmost button at the top – and you’ll
see your sharing options. Tap the name
of the person you want to share with or
on Messages to find them.

When you’re collaborating, it’s even
better if you can have a Messages or
FaceTime chat with the person you’re
sharing with. To do that, just tap on their
avatar at the top of your screen and you
can start a text, voice or video chat.

When you’ve already added images
to your board, Freeform uses the same
tools you’ve probably seen in Pages to
help you line everything up. As you move
around you’ll see little yellow lines appear
to help you position your image.

When the other person has
accepted your invitation you’ll see a
thumbnail image of them at the top right.
Changes appear instantly, so for example
here we’re sharing with a family member
who’s adding sticky notes to our board.

The people you share with get
the same tools as you do, so for example
here our family member is using the
same text formatting tools to tweak the
design of the board. Any changes you
or they make are shared instantly.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 45

APPLE SKILLS macOS/iOS/iPadOS

Cook dinner
with Crouton
Beans on toast? Again?! Why not fire up
your tastebuds with Crouton instead?
IT WILL TAKE
10 minutes
YOU WILL LEARN
How to find and
organise recipes so
you can plan your
future meals
YOU’LL NEED
Crouton app, iOS 16.0
or later, iPadOS 16.0 or
later, macOS 13.0 or
later, watchOS 10.0 or
later, vision 1.0 or later

Whether you’re fed up eating
the same food every day or
having trouble deciding what
dish you’re going to whip up
next, Crouton can come to the rescue. It’s a
simple meal planning and recipe organising
app which lets you store recipes from multiple
sources, including websites and cookbooks.
It’ll format those recipes into easy-to-follow
step-by-step guides, allow you to create
shopping lists from the ingredients and adjust
for the number of people dining. You’ll be
cooking up a storm in the kitchen in no time.
Most of the features are available for free
but there’s an inexpensive yearly subscription
available (with a free trial) that lets you
access blog feeds, create shareable links and
import recipes using artificial intelligence (AI).
And while we’ve focussed on the iPhone/iPad
version here, it’s also available for Mac, Vision
Pro and Apple Watch, with recipes backed up
and synced across devices using iCloud. Bon
appétit. David Crookes

HOW TO Import lots of tasty recipes

1 Manually add a recipe

Got a favourite recipe, maybe one
handed down over generations? Preserve
it via the Recipes tab. Tap ‘+’, select From
Website and enter the ingredients,
method and more before tapping
Add. You could even include a photo.

46 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

2 Add website recipes

Seen a tasty recipe online? Copy the
web address and, after tapping ‘+’, select
From Website. Paste the web address and
tap Import. Or tap Share in Safari and
select Crouton in the apps list. Recipes
can be edited before tapping Add.

3 Scan your recipes

With a Crouton subscription, you can
tap ‘+’ and select From Camera to scan
ingredients and steps from recipe books.
Tap Save and AI populates the recipe
fields. AI can read scanned recipes from
images or pasted text too.

Image credits: Apple Inc, Devin Davies

Cook a delicious dinner APPLE SKILLS

HOW TO Make good use of your recipes

1 Create a meal plan

Take the hassle out of meal times and
identify recipes for the week. Tap the
Meal Times tab, choose a day, tap ‘+’,
then Recipe and either create sections,
such as lunch or dinner, or select a saved
(or random) recipe.

2 Produce a grocery list 3 Delve into the settings
Ensure you have the right
ingredients to hand. Either select a ‘…’
button in the Meal Plan and tap ‘Add to
Groceries’, or tap the Grocery icon when
reviewing a recipe, and an editable list
will appear. Tap to add.

If the ingredients don’t appear in
the Groceries tab, open the Settings
app, tap Crouton and allow access to
Reminders. There are other settings
within the Crouton app too – perhaps
pair Crouton with supported scales.

HOW TO Follow a recipe

1 View a recipe

When you tap a recipe, it will be neatly
formatted into sections. You can quickly
switch between metric and imperial
measurements, tap Scale to cook for
smaller or larger groups and share
recipes in various formats.

2 Follow a recipe

Ready? Select Start. Tap the eye
symbol to navigate recipes hands-free by
winking left and right (open your mouth
wide to open and close the ingredient
list). Steps will also appear in the Crouton
app on Apple Watch.

3 Interact with recipes

You will see lots of highlighted text
in a recipe’s steps. Tap a temperature
to see an instant Celsius/Fahrenheit
conversion or tap an ingredient to see
the portion sizes. Tap times to create
multiple, editable timers.

Make it easier to discover recipes
Use tags, create folders, search and add feeds
When you add recipes you’ll notice you can add tags, and these become super
useful when using folders to organise your recipes. Folders are created via the
Recipe tab – use the back button to navigate to Collections, tap ‘+’ and select
Add Folder. If you turn it into a Smart Folder then any tags you select will be
used to automatically group recipes. You can also search for recipes and, if you
subscribe, use Discover to add RSS feed web addresses for your favourite foodie
blogs. Feeds will be flagged if you add recipies via Safari’s Share menu.

Image credits: Apple Inc, Devin Davies

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 47

APPLE SKILLS iOS/iPadOS

Follow the sun
with Sunlitt
You may not see it but you’ll
always know the sun is there
IT WILL TAKE
10 minutes
YOU WILL LEARN
How to explore the
key features of
the Sunlitt app
for comprehensive
sun tracking
YOU’LL NEED
Sunlitt app, iOS 16.4
or later, iPadOS 16.4 or
later, watchOS 10.0 or
later, visionOS 1.0
or later

Knowing where the sun is
going to be at any given
moment is actually more
useful than you may imagine.
As well as discovering when it’s going to be
light and dark, the sun’s position can help
photographers determine the direction and
size of shadows and work out how much
natural light there is going to be. It can
assist drivers in knowing if their car will end
up becoming a hot oven when parked in a
particular spot and it can allow house buyers
to work out when their garden is going to
receive direct sunshine.
With the Sunlitt app, you don’t need to rely
on guesswork. The app will allow you to track
the sun with precision even when you can’t see
it in the sky, share a wealth of information and
even allow you to use augmented reality to
view your surroundings while tracing the sun’s
path. You’ll get more features if you go Pro
but most are free. There’s an accompanying
Apple Watch app as well. David Crookes

HOW TO Track the sun’s position
Genius tip!
Tap alerts suggesting
the compass is
inaccurate for fixes. For
location accuracy, go to
the Settings app >
Sunlitt > Location >
Precise Location.

1 See the sun’s path

Tap the Monolitt tab and place your device
on a surface to see a 3D cube, representing a
location. View the sun’s position and direction
of the shadows cast. Move your device and its
gyroscope changes the viewing angle.

48 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

2 Alter the time

There’s a slider on the right which lets
you pick an hour and minute, useful for seeing
where the sun will be at various points of the
day. With a Pro subscription, you can use the
left slider to select any date too.

Image credits: Apple Inc, Leonardo Bertinelli, Davide Biancardi, Raffaele Fulgente, Clelia Iovine, Nicolas Mariniello, Fabio Pizzano

Track the sun APPLE SKILLS

CONTINUED… Track the sun’s position

Jargon buster

3 Change the location

4 View information

5 Switch to AR mode

6 Include the Monolitt

By default Sunlitt shows your current
location, but tap the address and then the
search icon at the bottom-right of the screen
to enter any address you wish. Pro accounts
let you build a list of favourite locations.

Tap the circular icon (bottom-right,
Monolitt tab) to switch to Augmented Reality
mode for your current location. Point your
camera to see an overlay of the sun’s path
together with the equinox and solstice paths.

Pay for Pro to access
azimuth information
(the compass angle of
the sun’s position) as
well as its altitude.
Useful when orienting
solar panels.

By tapping the location, Sunlitt provides
timings for solar events such as the time of
first/last light, the golden/blue hours, and
sunrise and sunset. It also shows how many
hours of daylight and night time there will be.

AR mode also shows timing information
across the top of the screen and you can move
the date/time sliders as before. Pro subscribers
can also include the Monolitt, letting you see
where the shadows are being cast.

Genius tip!
You can activate and
customise an info bar
in Sunlitt’s settings
under Appearance,
using the toggles to
indicate the data you
want it to display.

7 Explore a location

The Explore tab lets you view the sun path
on a shadow map – tap the Layer icon and you
can switch this to Satellite and, in Pro, Reliefs.
You can also search for other locations and
switch between 2D and 3D perspectives.

8 Receive notifications

Be notified about key events such as
sunrise or sunset – tap ‘…’ next to the location,
select Notifications and use the toggles. Tap
‘At event time’ if you’d like to be informed
prior to it taking place.

Image credits: Apple Inc, Leonardo Bertinelli, Davide Biancardi, Raffaele Fulgente, Clelia Iovine, Nicolas Mariniello, Fabio Pizzano

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 49

Create custom wallpapers
See your favourite photos on your iPad’s Lock Screen and Home Screen
IT WILL TAKE
10 minutes
YOU WILL LEARN
How to customise the
wallpaper on your
iPad’s Lock and
Home Screens
YOU’LL NEED
iPadOS 17.1 or later

While you could stick with the
default wallpapers available on
your iPad, iPadOS includes
plenty of customisation options
to help make your iPad feel truly yours.
Head to Settings > Wallpaper, tap ‘+ Add New
Wallpaper’ and you’ll be shown the Wallpaper
Gallery. There you can choose from a huge
range of colourful options, from Collections
to Kaleidoscope, Astronomy to Weather,
each of which can be customised to suit the
look you want to achieve.

Better still, you can turn favourite images
from your Photos library into a wallpaper
that can be shown on your iPad’s Home and
Lock Screens, and if you use Photo Shuffle
you’ll see a different image every day, every
hour or when you tap or lock the screen.
While Photo Shuffle normally shows
selected images from your People, Pets,
Nature and Cities collections, iPadOS 17.1 has
an extra option: Album. This gives you more
control over what’s shown and we’ll show you
how to use it here. Rob Mead-Green

HOW TO Create custom wallpapers on iPad

1 A Gallery of stars

Go to Settings > Wallpaper, tap ‘+ Add
New Wallpaper’ and you’ll be shown the
Wallpaper Gallery. Along the top, you’ll
see icons for Photos, People and more.
Scroll down to see more detailed looks
from Collections to Colours.

50 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

2 Get customising

Choose a wallpaper collection, such
as Kaleidoscope, and you’ll be shown a
preview of what the wallpaper will look
like. On the left you’re given the option to
add widgets. Tap ‘+ Add widgets’ to
choose some from the Widget Gallery.

3 Colour options

Swipe left or right across the
wallpaper and you’ll be shown different
colour options. Tap the date or time at
the top and you’ll be able to change the
colour and style of the text. Tap ‘Add’
(top right) when you’re done.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Use custom wallpapers APPLE SKILLS

CONTINUED… Create custom wallpapers on iPad

4 Display settings

5 Use a photo

6 Change the look

7 Do the shuffle!

8 Pick your favourites

9 Choose an album

10 Shuffle frequency

11 Shuffle more

12 Another way…

In the menu that appears, you have
more choices – tap ‘Set as Wallpaper Pair’
to have your wallpaper shown on both the
Lock Screen and your Home Screen, or
tap Customise Home Screen if you wish
to use a different wallpaper there.

Go back to the Wallpaper Gallery
again, but this time choose Photo Shuffle.
You can pick from People, Pets, Nature
and Cities. To use Apple-curated photos,
tap Use Featured Photos or tap Select
Photos Manually for further choices.

In the previous step, you’ll have
noticed that there’s a Shuffle Frequency
option. Tap it to change how often you’d
like your wallpapers to change: On Tap
(when you tap the screen), On Lock (when
you lock the screen), Hourly or Daily.

Image credit: Apple Inc

You can add as many wallpapers as
you wish from Settings > Wallpaper, so
here we’re going to choose a photo to
display instead of a stock wallpaper. Tap
Photos at the top to be taken to your
Photos library and choose an image.

Choose Select Photos Manually and
you’ll be able to select specific images
from your Photos library. Use the tabs
at the top to switch between collections
(People, Pets, etc) or choose from your
options in the left-hand sidebar.

Alternatively, on the wallpaper
customisation screen, tap the ‘…’ button
in the bottom-right corner to see identical
options. You can also toggle a photo’s
Depth Effect or be taken to its location in
your Photos library.

Again you can add widgets, change
the colour and style of the text displayed
in the time or date, and swipe left or right
to give your chosen image a different
look. To choose a different image, tap
the little Photos icon in the bottom right.

If you want to use photos from a
specific album, Photo Shuffle in iPadOS
17.1 gives you an easy way to do that.
Simply tap Album near the bottom of the
list, then tap the blue text to the right to
choose an album to pick from.

You can also customise and add
wallpapers at any time by tapping and
holding your iPad’s Lock Screen. Swipe
left or right to view any wallpapers you’ve
created already, and tap ‘+’ to add more.
Or tap Customise to make more changes.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 51

APPLE SKILLS iOS/watchOS

Optimise your exercise
Use Gentler Streak to improve your fitness without breaking your body
IT WILL TAKE
10 minutes
YOU WILL LEARN
How to monitor
your fitness, build
streaks and take
necessary breaks

Apple Fitness can become an
unhealthy obsession – more so
if you worry that you’re going
to break your streak by not
closing your Activity rings. It can mean
pushing ahead with exercise even when your
body is screaming at you to rest, and that’s
why Apple announced that the app in iOS 18
and watchOS 12 is finally going to bring the

YOU’LL NEED
Gentler Streak on
iPhone and Watch,
iOS 15 or later,
watchOS 9 or later

Greater insights

Genius tip!
Switch to the 10-day
Activity Path in the
Streak tab, tap and drag
left to see the next four
days. This will show
your expected recovery.

ability to take a break. Yet Gentler Streak has
been doing it for years.
Gentler Streak has proven to be a gamechanger for many users. It recognises that
recovery is as crucial as intensity and makes
rest part of a streak. If you take a break, the
Activity Path is also removed so you don’t
start feeling guilty. And, when you get back
into your workout routines, it’ll also make
personalised suggestions that best suit you
– it doesn’t want you to overdo things but it
will still push you towards a goal.

Tap your profile image or select Go Gentler and you can
change your Activity Status if you’re on a break or sick.

52 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

The app also works really well on Apple Watch.
Although you can use the iPhone app with any
wearable that can read/write data to Health/
Fitness, Apple Watch gathers sleep data and
allows you to start workouts from your wrist.
You’ll be able to view exercise summaries
which are then available on the iPhone.
There you’ll also be able to get monthly
insights, read fitness stories and enjoy articles
that help you better understand your body.
Just be aware, some key features require
a subscription. David Crookes

Image credits: Apple Inc, Gentler Stories LLC

Optimise your exercise APPLE SKILLS

HOW TO Exercise and ensure you get rest

1 Share your data

2 Wear your Watch

3 Go to sleep

4 Dive deeper

5 Get suggestions

6 Try Premium

7 Go Gentler

8 Exercise better

9 See a summary

When you launch Gentler Streak for
the first time, grant it access to your
Health data: indicate what you’d like the
app to write and read. You can then get
active so the app is able to determine
your physical fitness.

Tap on the metrics and you will see
a 10-day trendline as well as information
that helps you interpret the data with
typical values and normal ranges. You
will need a subscription to view most
of the metrics though.

You will also be able to tap the
Go Gentler button either on Apple Watch
or iPhone. This will suggest exercises
with heart rate intensity levels and
recommended durations. It will also
suggest rest and active recovery.

Image credits: Apple Inc, Gentler Stories LLC

Gentler needs seven days of activity
data so strap on your Apple Watch. You
can start workouts from your wrist:
launch the app and find an activity such
as an outdoor walk (press ‘+’ to discover
and add more).

The Streak tab displays a bar which
draws from your Health data and shows
where you are on your Activity Path,
together with encouragement to perhaps
raise it or take a rest. It’s about striking
a personal balance.

Begin an exercise on your Watch
and it’ll show data such as your heart
rate and Activity Path, syncing with Apple
Health. Hold the left and right metrics to
change them, swipe right to pause/end,
and swipe left to play music.

Wear your smartwatch while asleep
for a better overview of your wellbeing.
Keep track of your health metrics
including your resting or sleeping heart
rate in the Wellbeing tab. Such data helps
guide your workout plans.

Although you can get a lot out of
Gentler Streak for free, you will benefit
much more from a subscription. You’ll
be able to tap the graph icon next to the
bar and instantly see your activity trends
over 10 days.

When a workout ends you can see
how beneficial it was. Check out your
heart rate training zones for workout
intensity and see the calories burned.
Daily and workout summaries appear
in the Activities tab on iPhone too.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 53

You can use Energy Mode
in Settings > Battery to
set your MacBook’s
power preferences

HOW IT WORKS

Optimised Battery Charging
How your Mac, iPhone and iPad make their batteries last longer
YOU WILL LEARN
Why Apple optimises
battery charging and
why it’s important

hen it comes to battery life, we’re
living in a golden age of Apple
hardware: while the processors in
our Apple devices have become ever more
powerful and capable of doing ever more
things, that doesn’t mean we’ve had to
sacrifice the all-day battery life we’ve got
used to over the last decade. Whether it’s an
Apple Watch, a pair of AirPods or a MacBook
Pro, the batteries in your Apple kit have
serious stamina for even the toughest tasks.
But while tech has improved dramatically
in recent years, even Apple can’t change the
laws of chemistry – and those laws say that
over time, every battery will lose capacity.
Eventually so much you need to replace it.
The good news is that Apple has taken
steps to prolong those batteries’ lives, and
there are two key features in your devices

W

Key fact
Batteries for iPhones
up to and including the
iPhone 14 are designed
to retain 80% of their
original capacity after
500 complete charge
cycles. That figure
increases to 1,000
complete charge cycles
for the iPhone 15.

that are designed to make their batteries
live longer. These are Optimised Battery
Charging and Optimised Charge Limit, and to
understand them we need to talk about cycles.

On your bike
Every time you use a battery, a chemical
reaction creates electricity. Eventually that
reaction runs out of fuel, a process known as
discharging. But with rechargeable batteries
like the ones in your iPhone or MacBook,
connecting a charger reverses that chemical
reaction and makes the battery ready to
start all over again.
The process of fully discharging a battery
to zero and then fully recharging it to 100% is
known as a battery cycle. And there’s a limit
to how many cycles a battery can experience
before it’s worn out. The battery in a MacBook
has roughly the same number of charge
cycles as the rechargeable AA batteries you
put in your TV remote, but your MacBook
battery is glued in place. When it’s done, you’ll
need to take it to Apple or a third party expert
to get a new one fitted.
The good news is that you shouldn’t need
to do that for quite some time: MacBook
batteries last for several years unless you’re
a really demanding user.

Prolonging battery lifespan
In iOS and iPadOS, going to Settings > Battery will show
you which apps are draining the most power.

54 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

The battery in your Apple device is a lithiumion one, and that’s really important: unlike
older battery types, lithium-ion batteries

Image credit: Apple Inc

Optimised Battery Charging APPLE SKILLS

Buying new batteries
Every Apple battery is covered under
Apple’s one-year warranty, so if it’s
faulty Apple will replace it. But no
battery lasts forever, and Apple won’t
replace worn-out ones for free. Apple
charges £95 for an iPhone 15 Pro Max
battery; an iPhone 11 one is £85 and a
2022 iPhone SE battery is £65. Most
Apple Watch batteries are £95.
For recent AirPods, don’t expect to
swap the batteries: Apple will sell you
replacement earbuds instead.
Notebook batteries are the most
expensive. A battery for an M1 MacBook

don’t have to be fully discharged before
they can be fully recharged. That means
you can recharge them without necessarily
using up an entire battery cycle: you can
charge your battery from partly used to
full again with only a fraction of a cycle
instead of a full one.
Apple charges your batteries in two
ways: with high-speed fast charging until
they reach 80%, and then with slower
trickle charging for the remaining 20%.
That puts less strain on the battery and
helps prolong its lifespan. Apple also pauses
charging in extreme temperatures, again to
protect the battery.
The final part of the system is intelligent
battery management. Optimised Battery
Charging adjusts the charging power in
order to make the battery last longer, so for
example your iPhone or Mac learns when
it’s likely to be connected to a charger for
a long period and takes a more leisurely
pace at those times: it delays charging
beyond 80% until just before it thinks you’ll
need to use it, at which point it delivers the
final bit of power.
With the iPhone 15 or later, you can
choose to use the 80% Limit feature
instead. This charges your phone to 80%
instead of 100%, so a full charge from zero
is four-fifths of a cycle rather than one full
cycle. Fewer cycles mean a battery that
should live much longer.

Apple pauses charging in
extreme temperatures,
to protect the battery
Image credit: Apple Inc

Air is £159, while a replacement for an
Intel-powered MacBook Pro is £245.
Apple currently offers replacement
batteries for Mac notebooks going back
to 2015. but some Apple products are
considered obsolete before then. The
list of obsolete products is online at
support.apple.com/en-gb/102772 and
includes the first generation Apple
Watch, the first generation AirPods,
many Beats-branded products and
early iPads too. If you need a new
battery for one of those you’ll need
to get it from a third party.

Apple doesn’t stock batteries for devices it
considers obsolete, such as the original AirPods.

The simplest and easiest way to make
your battery last longer is to use the battery
less. For example if you have a MacBook Air
or Pro then use it on mains power when you
can, and when you’re on battery be ruthless
about what you connect to it: USB and
Thunderbolt peripherals use power, as does
Wi-Fi even when you’re not using it.

Save power in the background
Apps running in the background on your Mac,
iPad or iPhone can be surprisingly power
hungry too. And if you have a 14-inch or
16-inch M-series MacBook Pro, make sure
you’re only using High Power mode (in
Settings > Battery) when you absolutely need
to be. Leaving that on when you’re only doing
email or browsing websites is rather like
driving to the shops at 100 miles per hour.
Energy Saver in Settings/System Settings
is your friend here: it enables you to make
sure your device isn’t staying on when it
needn’t, and to tweak settings for things like
brightness. Brightness is a real power hog on
mobile devices, and turning it down really
reduces your battery drain. You can see the
battery usage in Settings > Battery on your
Mac, iPhone or iPad.
If you’re not going to be using your
device for a while – weeks and months rather
than hours – Apple recommends that you
charge it to around 50% before powering it
off and putting it somewhere safe. A fully
discharged battery can go into a “deep
discharge” state that prevents it from
holding a charge; a fully charged one
can lose some of its capacity if it’s not
being used. Carrie Marshall

Key fact
If you won’t be using
your device for several
weeks, it’s best not to
leave its battery fully
charged or fully
discharged: the former
can lose capacity if it’s
not used, and the latter
can lead to a situation
where the battery won’t
hold a charge when you
start using it again.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 55

EXPERT
ADVICE
Our resident genius
solves your Mac and
iOS problems

Contact us

EDITED BY

HOWARD OAKLEY

Email your queries and
your questions to
genius@macformat.com

Could
Run old Windows software on a new Mac
If I upgrade to a new Mac, could I
When that happens, you should still be able
Macs get
continue using Quicken 2002, with
run your current setup inside a virtual
CrowdStruck? Q CrossOver, for my personal finances? tomachine
running an older version of macOS
by D A V I D H I G N E T T

o Macs were
affected in July’s
CrowdStrike
catastrophe because the
update that caused it was
only for Windows. Even if
a similar defective file had
been distributed to Macs,
the chances of it causing as
much damage would have
been much lower.
For the last few years,
Apple has been pushing
developers to move away
from kernel extensions
because of this type of
problem. As they run in the
highly privileged world of the
kernel, when anything goes
wrong with them, it’s likely
to cause a kernel panic – the
cause of Windows’ Blue
Screen of Death. CrowdStrike
for macOS therefore uses
a system extension, which
shouldn’t be capable of
causing the same chaos.
Moving away from kernel
extensions has been long and
painful, and still isn’t quite
done. In the end we’re the
winners in system stability.

N

CrossOver, which translates Windows
apps to run on macOS without an
emulator or virtual machine, works
on Apple silicon Macs, where it relies on
additional translation by Rosetta 2 to convert
Intel to Arm code. Among many apps reported
as being fully compatible is Quicken 2002, so
you should be safe for now.
In time, Apple will stop including Rosetta 2
in macOS, so preventing CrossOver from being
able to run Intel code on Arm processors.

A

that retains its original Rosetta 2 support.
However, that only buys you a bit more
time. Sooner or later you’re going to want to
migrate to a replacement that runs natively on
your new Mac. Quicken is available for macOS,
but only on subscription in North America, and
migrating your data to that new version would
prove difficult. It’s likely to be no harder to
switch to a different personal finance
manager, and now is the time to start looking
for one, before you have to. The combination
of Quicken 2002 and CrossOver should give
you time to choose your replacement.

CrossOver is based on Wine, a well-proven platform for running Windows apps like the Trelby editor.

56 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Apple Inc

iOS software GENIUS TIPS

iOS software
Swipe away your touchscreen troubles and
rekindle your love of Apple’s mobile devices
Quick-fire
questions
How to use Safari
Web Inspector
in iOS?
> This runs on a
connected Mac. Enable it
there first in Safari’s
Advanced settings, then
connect your iPhone to
your Mac using a USB
cable. On the iPhone, in
Settings > Safari >
Advanced, turn on Web
Inspector. Safari on your
Mac will then inspect
pages as they’re seen by
Safari on iOS. This works
similarly for iPadOS.

How to sync my
reading in Books
with my Mac?
> First ensure the Books
app is set to use iCloud
on both your Mac and
device. Then on your
iPhone or iPad, open
Settings > Books and
turn on Reading Now. If
you’ve added your own
PDF books, enable
iCloud Drive for them so
they’re also synced.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Get notifications on
the right device
Q
How can I get Messages’
notifications delivered reliably on
both my iPhone and Apple Watch?

by C H R I S T O P H E R H O U G H T O N

Your iPhone, iPad and Apple
Watch are intended to work
together when delivering
notifications, so you aren’t bombarded
by them on more than one device at once.
To ensure these coordinate correctly,
check that notifications are turned on
for both your iPhone and your Watch.
For Messages on your iPhone, open
Settings > Notifications > Messages, and
ensure Allow Notifications is turned on,
together with Critical Alerts and TimeSensitive Notifications. To do the same for
your Watch, open the Watch app on your
iPhone, and go to My Watch > Notifications
> Messages, and either set it to Mirror my
iPhone, or to Custom with Allow
Notifications ticked as well.
With those set, if your iPhone is
unlocked when the notification arrives,
it will handle it instead of your Watch. If
your iPhone is asleep or locked, then you
should receive the notification on the
Watch, unless it’s locked. When you read
or dismiss a notification on your Watch,
it should also be dismissed automatically
from your iPhone.
If you use Focus settings, they can
override those behaviours according to
Settings > Focus > [focus name] > Allow
Notifications. For example, you can allow
notifications from certain apps like
FaceTime, from specific people, and timesensitive notifications, as you wish. Other
notifications will then be silenced and sent

A

Coordinate notifications settings on your iPhone and
Watch to receive them on the right device each time.

to Notification Centre. Check that none are
scheduled without your knowledge.
There can still be times when they’re a bit
wonky, but mostly they should follow the rules.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 57

GENIUS TIPS Networking

Networking
We help to solve your Wi-Fi woes
and connection conundrums
Quick-fire
questions
How to exclude files
from iCloud Drive?
> iCloud Drive works
primarily by inclusion:
files moved to your
iCloud Drive folder are
automatically synced. If
you want to exclude
folders and files that
need to be in the same
folder as others that
have to be synced,
put them in their own
folder and append the
extension .nosync or
.tmp to the folder name.

Should my Mac
mini use DHCP for
its IP address?

Back up iCloud Drive
Q

How do I back up all the files in my
iCloud Drive?
by C H R I S W I L S O N

For Time Machine or another backup
utility to back up those files, they
have to be downloaded on your Mac
at the time the backup is made. If your iCloud
Drive is set so that Optimise Mac Storage is
turned off, that’s no problem, as all those files
will also be stored in your Home folder, so
including that in your backups will always
include all the files in your iCloud Drive.
Problems come when Optimise Mac
Storage is enabled, as that allows you and
macOS to evict files from local storage, so the
data in them is only available in the cloud.
Normally Time Machine and other apps won’t

A

back those files up, as that would require them
to be downloaded to your Mac first. Although
it’s most likely that files that have been evicted
from local storage have already been backed
up before they were evicted, you can’t be sure.
For Time Machine, the only ways to ensure
everything is included in a backup are to
manually download evicted files in the Finder
by clicking on the iCloud icon next to each, or
to disable Optimise Mac Storage and let them
sync down before backing up.
Other backup apps such as Carbon Copy
Cloner have an option to automatically
download files that have been evicted, and do
so in batches so they don’t use up all free
space, then evict them. This can still cause
problems, though, and you should read their
documentation first before relying on it.

> It’s good practice to
assign fixed IP
addresses to static
Macs, particularly for
Ethernet connections, as
that helps you identify
them, and they don’t
need to renew their
lease periodically. Your
router’s DHCP server
should allow you to
allocate a block of
static IP addresses.

Third-party backup utilities like Carbon Copy Cloner can temporarily download evicted iCloud Drive files when backing up.

58 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Apple Inc

Can I use iCloud+
Private Relay with
X/Twitter?
> Most services should
work well with Private
Relay, even X/Twitter.
You may experience
difficulties when the
Private Relay service
isn’t working properly,
though. Check with
Apple’s service status
page at apple.com/
support/systemstatus.

Third-party apps you’ve used your Apple ID to sign into
can also prompt you to sign in again after some updates.

Signing back into services
Why does my Mac keep asking me to
Update Apple ID Settings or to sign
into some services again after
updating Sonoma?

Q

by I A N W E I R

This has happened sporadically in
Sonoma and previous versions of
macOS, and sometimes when you
open the settings involved there’s no need to
do anything. There’s nothing sinister about this,
and it doesn’t suggest any malicious activity.
There’s one situation when this is so
common as to be the rule: when starting

A

a Mac up from an external drive that was last
used by another Mac. In those circumstances,
macOS usually asks you to sign back into
your Apple ID and iCloud, because checks
with the Mac’s records show that the drive
has been used by a different Mac. That’s
a security protection.
Otherwise you should open System
Settings, go to your Apple ID and sign back
in as required, if it keeps the system happy.
The other less common oddity is being given
a fresh recovery key for FileVault, which can
occur almost randomly after Sonoma updates;
that appears to be a bug.

Should Ethernet or
Wi-Fi be the first
service?
> If you have both, it’s
usual to put Ethernet
first, as it should deliver
the most consistent high
speed connections.
Check first whether your
Mac connects with the
router using 802.11ax
(Wi-Fi 6), as that can
exceed 1.3Gbps, which
could prove faster than
your wired connection.

Recover Smart Mailboxes
Q
I set up Smart Mailboxes
on my Macs some years
ago. Those are now running
different versions of macOS, and
all their Smart Mailboxes have
disappeared, and can’t be found
in iCloud.com either. How can
I get them back?

by R I C H E L L I S M C C A L L U M

Mail’s Smart Mailboxes
have been going through
a troubled period in recent
versions of macOS. Although several
solutions have been proposed, none
seems to work at all well except for
recreating them in the latest
version of macOS you can run.
You’ll see some recommendations
to turn off Mail in iCloud and hope
they’ll reappear in time, but the

A

Image credit: Apple Inc

Mail using the latest version of Sonoma
disadvantages of doing that outweigh
or Sequoia, which stand the best
any slim chance of benefit.
chance of keeping them intact and
One factor that will certainly have
functioning correctly. Otherwise all
increased the chances of this problem
your hard work will be wasted.
reappearing is that you’re connecting
to your Smart Mailboxes
using several different
versions of the Mail app,
some of which will still be
prone to losing those
Smart Mailboxes as soon
as you’ve recreated them.
Before you go to the
trouble of creating any
more Smart Mailboxes,
to give them a chance of
staying there, disconnect
your mail accounts from
Mail on all other Macs
running older versions of
Avoid recurrent problems with Smart Mailboxes in Mail by
recreating them and only using Mail on your most recent macOS.
macOS, and only access

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 59

GENIUS TIPS macOS

macOS
Shine a spotlight on the solutions to
your most irritating Mac problems
Quick-fire
questions
How to reset the
NVRAM in my
M2 Mac?
> Using the startup keys
for Intel Macs doesn’t
work on Apple silicon.
The only way to reset
NVRAM fully is to
completely wipe and
restore the Mac in DFU
mode using another
Mac, although some
might be cleared if you
Erase All Content &
Settings. Either
way you’d have to
restore your whole
Mac afterwards.

How to share
the same file in
different volumes?
> There’s no simple way
to do that, as files in
different APFS volumes
are completely separate.
The volumes share free
space within the same
container, but not
the contents of their
directories. It’s simplest
to use a Finder Alias to
link from the master
copy of that file.

The macOS installer won’t install on a Time Machine backup store, and Time Machine won’t back up to a Data volume.

No more bootable backup
Q

How to make bootable backups
of my Mac running Sonoma?
by T O M C A M A R A

Since Big Sur and the major changes
it introduced in the structure of boot
disks, traditional bootable backups
have been unreliable and of little use, even if
you manage to get them to work. You should
now choose between storing your backups on
that external drive, or installing macOS instead
so you can start your Mac up from the drive.
In Mojave and earlier, it was easy to
‘clone’ an identical copy of the single volume
containing the system and much of your user
data in its Home folder. Catalina split that into
two volumes, and Big Sur changed the System
volume so that macOS boots not from that but

A

60 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

from a secure read-only snapshot instead.
Trying to clone that snapshot isn’t the right
way to go about creating a new one, a task the
macOS Installer is designed to perform.
If you need to restore your Mac completely,
you should first install a fresh copy of macOS
using its Installer, which will create a linked
empty volume to contain user data. Then you
should restore or migrate your data from your
backup. You can perform those using the tools
provided in recovery mode.
If you want a bootable external drive
that you can move to different Macs, then it’s
straightforward to install macOS on it together
with the apps and documents you need. You
should never use your backup storage for
that purpose, as it puts all your backups at
risk. The bootable backup has now had its day.

Image credit: Apple Inc

macOS GENIUS TIPS

How to stop kernel_
task taking so
much CPU?

Over the last 24 hours, Time Machine should
keep hourly backups when available, before
thinning them to daily and weekly.

> This is often a sign that
your Mac has got too hot
and needs to cool down.
Close apps and help
your Mac cool down by
clearing space around
a notebook and opening
its lid if necessary.

How can I use the
system font in my
own documents?

Time Machine thins its backups
Q
Since my Mac started making daily
Time Machine backups to a new
drive, I’ve noticed that some recent
backups have been deleted automatically.

by J I M G I B B I N

When making backups hourly, Time
Machine keeps all of them for the
previous 24 hours, together with the
hourly snapshots it makes on each volume
that it’s backing up. While each of those local

A

snapshots is deleted after 24 hours, Time
Machine then thins its backups so that there’s
just one kept each day for the previous month,
then one each week to the start of the series.
If you view its backups in Finder, you
should see the most recent 24 of them at
hourly intervals, then about 31 daily, and all
the older backups at weekly intervals. If not,
use T2M2 from eclecticlight.co/consolationt2m2-and-log-utilities to inspect what Time
Machine has been recording in your Mac’s log.

> Apple released San
Francisco in El Capitan.
Now known as SF and SF
Pro, it’s proprietary not
public domain, and is
only licensed for use in
apps to run on Macs and
Apple’s devices. It can’t
be embedded or
otherwise distributed.

Exclude from Spotlight
Q
How do I exclude folders from
Spotlight search?
by T R I S T A N U N D E R W O O D

Open System Settings and
select Siri & Spotlight on the
left. Click on the Spotlight
Privacy button at the foot of that pane,
and add the folders using the ‘+’ button
there. Note that unchecking items in the
Search results list doesn’t stop their
indexing, but only removes them from
search results.
There are two other methods:
adding the extension .noindex to the
name of a folder will stop Spotlight’s
mdworker processes from indexing any
of the contents of that folder. You can
achieve the same by making a folder

A

Image credit: Apple Inc

hidden from the Finder by adding a stop
utility to check this has worked properly.
or period to the start of its name, as in
This creates a set of test files with
.myHiddenDocs. Before trying to add
distinctive contents that you can add
that to the folder name, show hidden
to the folders you want to exclude from
items using Cmd+Shift+[.] or the Finder
search, then you can run a test to see
won’t let you make that change.
if Spotlight can find them there.
Older versions of
macOS also stopped
indexing when an empty
file named .metadata_
never_index was put
inside the folder, but that
has stopped working in
recent versions.
Use the Spotlight
search test included in
my free utility Mints
from eclecticlight.co/
Check that Spotlight no longer indexes folders you’ve
excluded it from using the Spotlight test in Mints.
mints-a-multifunction-

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 61

4

1

Create
great
movies
now!

6

3

2

Turn your video clips into
slickly edited stories with
pro production values
Written by George Cairns

W

hile many of us shoot movies
on our iPhones, most of them
languish in the Photos app,
rarely to be looked at again.
We’re going to change that. In this feature, we’ll
explain how you can use iMovie to turn your
home videos into mini movie masterpieces that
you’ll be proud to share with friends and family
as well as on social media.
While you can quickly trim individual video
clips in the iOS Photos app and then send them
on, iMovie enables you to turn a group of clips
into a professionally edited video featuring
titles, transitions and music.
iOS iMovie enables you to edit a show from
start to finish on your iPhone or iPad, but it
lacks some of the more sophisticated tools
in macOS iMovie (such as the White Balance
tool for colour correction). macOS iMovie also
enables you to improve the quality of your
clips by correcting colour casts or reducing the
presence of background noise, as well as using
its Stabilization tool to iron out wobbles.
It’s also generally more comfortable to
work with video clips on a Mac’s larger display,
though you can have the best of both worlds
by starting an edit on iOS iMovie and then
finishing it on macOS iMovie, courtesy of
iOS iMovie’s Export Project sharing option.

62 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

5

Get to to know macOS
iMovie’s key features
1

2

3

My Media

Clip types

Range

This panel
contains thumbnails
of your imported
clips. Slide the cursor
across a thumbnail
to preview the
clip’s contents.

Icons indicate
if a clip was shot
in Cinematic or
Slo-Mo mode
when filming with
the iPhone’s
Camera app.

Yellow handles let
you trim a clip before
adding it to the
Timeline. Orange
lines indicate
which sections
have been used.

Image credit: Apple Inc

8

7

4

5

6

7

8

Additional assets

Timeline

Cinematic mode

Viewer

Toolbar

These labels give
you access to a host
of assets such as
animated titles,
transitions and
even maps and
backgrounds.

Here you can trim
clips, change their
running order,
combine them in
layers and add your
titles, transitions
and music.

Clips captured in
Cinematic mode will
display this icon.
You can change
their focal point
and the amount of
background blur.

The viewer is
where your edited
movie takes shape.
Here you can see
colour changes, filter
effects, titles and
cinematic looks.

This host of
post-production
tools enables you
to add digital zooms,
stabilise wobbly
clips and reduce
background noise.

Image credit: Apple Inc

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 63

iMovie basics
Shoot and import assets for your edit

Y

ou may have hours of footage
taking up valuable space on
devices such as a digital SLR
(DSLR) camera, an action camera and
of course your ever-present iPhone.
Video formats such as an .mp4 file from
a GoPro Hero 12 or .movs from a DJI
Osmo Action 4 pose no challenge for
iMovie to work with them. Your iPhone

has an advantage over other cameras
because it can shoot in modes such as
Cinematic. You can then adjust a
Cinematic clip’s background blur amount
(and even focal point) in iMovie.
Whatever the source, iMovie can
read most formats, so you can import,
edit and share clips regardless of what
they were filmed on. Most devices shoot

clips in 1080x1920 High Definition (HD)
or at the larger 4K resolution. iMovie can
deal with either size, though older Macs
might struggle to play 4K clips smoothly.
We’ll show how to set up a project in
iMovie, import your clips (from sources
such as SD cards or your iPhone) and then
start editing your rambling raw footage
into a slick and shareable sequence.

HOW TO Import clips into iMovie from a range of sources >

1 Import from Photos app 2 Import from SD card
Click the Projects tab then click the ‘+’
button. Choose Create New, and then
click Movie. In the Libraries panel click
Photos and set the drop-down to Videos.
Shift-click to select clips, then click the
‘+’ button to add them to the timeline.

64 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

If your Mac lacks an SD card slot,
plug in a card reader or hub with the
relevant port. When you insert an SD
card into the hub’s slot, iMovie’s Import
window opens automatically. Click
thumbnails, then click Import Selected.

3 Import from iPhone

To import clips from an iPhone 15,
connect a USB-C data cable from the
iPhone to your Mac. Choose File > Import.
Click the iPhone’s icon and set the
drop-down to Video. Shift-click to select
clips, then choose Import Selected.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Master iMovie FEATURE

HOW TO Trim and re-arrange your imported clips

1 Browse your clips

2 Customise settings

3 Trim in timeline

4 Use Clip Trimmer

5 Go slow

6 Cut on a move

7 Different angles

8 On the go

9 Non-linear editing

Swipe the cursor across a clip’s
thumbnail to preview it in the viewer.
Drag the clip’s yellow trim handles to
choose a start and end point for the
action. Click the thumbnail’s + icon to
add the trimmed clip to the timeline.

Ctrl-click a clip and choose Show
Clip Trimmer. You can adjust the start
and end points using trim handles. You
can also drag inside the trimmed area
to fine-tune exactly where the start
and end points occur.

To add visual variety when editing,
remember to shoot a range of different
shot sizes (such as wide or close-ups) as
well as capturing creative angles. Let
your subject walk out of one shot so
you can cut to them in a new location.

Image credit: Apple Inc

To get a better look at the content
of a timeline clip’s thumbnail, click
Settings and drag the Clip Size slider
to the right. Tick the Fade In and Fade
Out boxes. Press Shift+Z to make the
clip zoom to fill the timeline.

Thumbnails with a circle icon at
the top left indicate clips shot in Slo-Mo
mode. When added to the timeline they
automatically play in slow motion (and
feature a tortoise icon). Trim the clip to
show its key moments.

If you have a gimbal (such as the
Hohem iSteady V3 that we used), you
can capture cinematic camera moves
such as a tracking shot that follows your
subject. This smooth movement adds
extra energy to your edited movie.

Instead of trimming a clip in the
Media pane, drag it into the timeline.
Place the playhead at the start of the
clip and trim handle arrows will appear.
Drag right to trim the start point. Drag
a clip’s end point to adjust duration.

When filming, ask your subject to
repeat a move (such as a spin) and film
them from a different angle. Trim both
clips so that the cut happens on the
same move. This helps the action flow
seamlessly from one clip to the next.

Drag a timeline clip before (or
after) another clip. The adjacent clips
move to accommodate the moved one.
iMovie is an NLE (non-linear editor), so
you can change the order of the clips to
tell a story in a different way.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 65

FEATURE Master iMovie

Advanced editing in iMovie
Adjust colours and tones and edit in layers to combine clips

Y

our iPhone does a great job
of capturing a scene’s colours
and tones, but occasionally
a shaded location may look underexposed and cold (blue). We’ll show you
how to ‘grade’ a clip to counteract colour
casts and reveal more shadow detail,
without blowing out brighter highlights.
As well as being a non-linear editor
(where you can swap the running order

of clips to tell a story), iMovie enables
you to edit in layers, opening up a host of
creative effects. In this video sequence
the girl mounts her iPhone on a gimbal
to film. Using iMovie’s layer based
‘Picture in Picture’ (PiP) effect we can
see the girl filming, plus view the footage
from her iPhone in the same shot.
These layer-based effects enable us
to tell a more visually interesting story.

Use filters and a blurred background to give your
clips a more cinematic look.

EXPLAINED… Access tools and filters to ‘grade’ clips
1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Cinematic

Color correction

Clip filters

Layered clips

If a clip’s background can be
blurred then the Cinematic
mode icon will appear. Click
here to adjust the blur amount.

Click here to add colour
and tone tweaking tools to
selectively lighten shadows
or counteract colour casts.

Click here to access 35
filters that produce a range
of creative looks. There are
audio effects here too.

By layering clips you can
produce creative ‘Picture
in Picture’ effects that add
visual variety to your movie.

66 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Apple Inc

HOW TO Grade your clips to fix picture problems >

1 Lighten shadows

Here the girl is in the shade so she
is underexposed. Click the Color
Correction button above the viewer.
Drag the shadow control point right
to brighten up shadows and midtones
without blowing out highlights.

2 Boost colour

Colours in under-exposed areas
can look desaturated. To reveal more
colour information (and make the
shaded shot’s colours match the colour
in sunnier clips) drag the Saturation
slider right for a more vibrant look.

3 Correct casts

To warm up cold shadows drag
the Temperature right. Alternatively
click the Color Balance button, then
click the White Balance option. Click the
eyedropper to sample a cool blue area.
All colours will instantly warm up.

HOW TO Add Picture in Picture (PiP) effects >

1 Layer two clips

Drag a shot to the timeline. We used
a clip of the girl filming her surroundings
with her iPhone. Drag a new clip onto
the layer above the first clip. Here
we’ve added the iPhone’s footage
as a cutaway layer.

2 Resize layer

Change the drop-down menu
from the default Cutaway to ‘Picture
in Picture’ (PiP). Use the layered clips
corner handles to re-size it to fit in the
frame. Drag inside the inserted PiP
layer to reposition it to the left.

3 Add border

To make the PiP clip stand out
click to add a thick border to it. Click
the colour swatch and choose a border
colour (such as a clean white). Click
the Shadow box to make the PiP cast
a drop shadow on the main clip.

HOW TO Get a cinematic look >

1 Blur the background

By shooting in Cinematic mode
you can blur the background in iMovie.
Click a Cinematic mode clip then click
the Cinematic (camera) button above
the viewer. Tick ‘Depth of Field’. Drag
the slider left to blur the background.

Image credit: Apple Inc

2 Add a filter

For instant grading click the ‘Clip
Filter and Audio Effects’ button above
the viewer. Click the Clip Filter button.
Hover the cursor over the thumbnails to
preview their effect on the colours and
tones of the clip. Click one to apply it.

3 Copy and paste

Ctrl-click a graded clip in the
timeline. Choose Copy, then click an
ungraded clip. From the menu bar
choose Edit > Paste Adjustments > All.
Any colour, tonal and filter effects from
the copied clip will be transferred.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 67

Finishing touches
Add titles and transitions and give your audio a professional polish

Y

ou’ll find iMovie can do so
much more than enabling you
to trim your clips and re-order
them. It can also make the story flow by
adding one of 24 transitions that mix,
wipe or slide from one clip to another.
A movie without titles and captions is like

a cake without icing! We’ll show you how
to customise the title’s font and colour to
complement your video’s subject and add
information to get social media followers
up to speed on what they’re watching.
Audio tends to be the weakest part
of most video productions, so we’ll

demonstrate how to replace your clip’s
unwanted sound with music that helps
link the collection of clips into a unified
story. You’ll also learn how to add a
voiceover to add narration to your
story, and get the music to fade
automatically when you’re speaking.

Alternatives to iMovie

DaVinci Resolve
FREE
blackmagicdesign.com
DaVinci Resolve is a
non-linear editor that
boasts a wider set of tools
than iMovie, making it more
on par with Final Cut Pro
(but without the cost). Like
iMovie you can edit in layers,
but DaVinci Resolve gives you
more creative control by
using editable masks.

Movavi Video
Editor 2024

Premiere Elements
2024

£15.95 per month
movavi.com
If you want to show off on
social media then Movavi
boasts a large collection of
filters, titles and effects.
It also has AI-assisted tools
such as the ability to remove
a background without
needing a green screen
backdrop. iMovie on steroids!

£86.56 adobe.com/uk
Like iMovie, Premiere
Elements is an entry-level
non-linear editing app. It
has a Guided Edit workspace
that takes you through
various editing techniques
step-by-step. You can then
explore the Advanced
workspace when you’re
au fait with the app.

68 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Final Cut Pro
£299.99 apple.com/uk
If you outgrow iMovie
and want to access
professional level postproduction features such
as motion tracking and
advanced compositing
tools then Final Cut Pro
is a logical next step. It
looks similar to iMovie but
contains many more title
and transition assets.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Master iMovie FEATURE

HOW TO Add transitions and make your show flow! >

1 Add transition

Click the Transitions browser.
Swipe across a thumbnail to preview
a transition. Drag a transition between
two clips, and double-click if you want
to extend its duration. Here Page Curl
helps the story unfold in a creative way.

2 Add a title

Click the Titles browser. Drag
a title (such as Drifting) onto a timeline
clip, then double-click the blue title bar.
In the viewer type in your title. You can
select and edit the text’s font and size
as you would in any text editor.

3 Add some colour

Click to select a word, click the
swatch button then choose a colour for
the selected word. You can also select
individual words and italicise them to
add visual variety. Click the Play button
to preview the animated title.

HOW TO Share to social media >

1 Export

Click the Share button, then click
Social Platforms. Choose a resolution
such as 1080x608. This gets a nice
balance for footage that will look good
on a platform such as Facebook without
being too big to upload.

2 Upload to Facebook

You’ll see an estimated file size for
your clip (such as 31.4MB). This is useful
as some sites have a limit on the file
size of your video. Click Next and save
the movie. Upload your video via your
desired social media site.

3 Vertical or horizontal?

If you drag a vertically shot clip
into the timeline it will appear in a
horizontal window with black bars on
either side. Sadly, you can’t export a
vertical clip without these bars. iMovie
works better with horizontal footage.

Enhance your movie’s sound
Remove unwanted audio, add music and more
Shift-click to select multiple clips with unwanted audio. Click the Volume
button, then drag the volume to 0% to remove sound. Go to the Audio &
Video tab. Select Sound Effects, then set menu to Jingles. Drag music that
suits the mood into the timeline and choose Window > Record Voiceover.
Place the playhead at the start of the timeline and click Record to capture
your voice. Click the Voiceover clip in the timeline then the Volume button.
Tick ‘Lower volume of other clips’ to make the music dip when you talk.

Image credit: Apple Inc

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 69

70 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: LoFree

KIT OUT
YOUR
HOME
OFFICE
Create the perfect
working environment
in your own space
Written by David Crookes

A

lthough more companies are
encouraging workers to head back
to the office, lots of people still work
very effectively from home. Many
employees now have a home office or at least
a dedicated space at the kitchen table. But
regardless of your present setup, chances are
your working environment can be improved with
products that boost productively and encourage
greater efficiency.
Our guide seeks to help you build the home
office of your dreams, or at least enhance the space
in which you’ve chosen to work if you’d rather take
a more flexible approach. We’re going to examine
desks that seek to minimise distractions while
providing maximum comfort – ones which will look
great in your home and help to reduce clutter. We’ve
also paid great attention to chairs which are a hugely
important part of any setup given that you may be
sitting in them for hours at a time.
We finish off with a range of accessories that
will complement your iMac, MacBook or iPad and
help to make you look even more professional. So
whether you’re just starting to build a home office
or are looking for extra kit, we’ll make your work
space the envy of your colleagues.

Image credit: LoFree

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 71

FEATURE Home office kit

FURNITURE & ERGONOMICS
Sit down and check out this amazing range of desks and chairs

Desks
If you’re working from
home, you’re more likely to
be organised and focussed
if you have a desk. Aside
from providing ample space
for your Mac, monitor, iPad
and the various accessories
and piles of paper needed
for your day-to-day work, a
quality desk should provide
you with a comfortable
working environment and
allow you to immediately get
down to business.
Since many desks can be
height adjusted, they
can also improve your
posture and even let you
work standing up. But if
space is at a premium and
you really do need to work
on a standard table, don’t
worry. You can still boost
your productivity and
avoid strain on your body,
as we’re about to discover.

1

Oakywood Standing Desk Touch
> From £952 > oakywood.com
hard to beat. Choose the
> For flexibility and
colour and size plus extras
customisation, Oakywood’s
such as a shelf, underdesk
standing desks, adjusted
organiser and castors.
by the push of a button, are

1

2

4

3

2

3

Logitech Casa
Pop-Up Desk

IKEA MITTZON Focus
workstation

> £179.99 > logitech.com
> Need to keep your space flexible?
When working with a MacBook
perched on the kitchen table, this
stand with Bluetooth keyboard and
trackpad keeps the screen at eye
level and makes typing easier.

> £350 > ikea.co.uk
> Working from home can often be
distracting. Boost your productivity
with a personal booth that not only
helps you better focus on your Mac’s
screen but dampens sound from the
outside world too.

72 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

4

5

5

Secretlab Magnus Pro

Flexispot E2L

> £899 > secretlab.co.uk
> Desk organisation isn't just
for gamers. This ‘gaming’ desk
provides maximum comfort, modular
magnetic accessories, superb cable
management and a power supply
column. You can include an LED light
strip controlled via HomeKit too.

> £399.99 > flexispot.co.uk
> This height-adjustable
L-shaped desk gives you
more room for essential kit.
Created using a carbon steel frame,
it’s solid and sturdy and switches
between sitting and standing with
the touch of a button.

Image credits: Oakywood, Logitech, Inter IKEA
Systems BV, Secretlab SG Pte Ltd Flexispot

Home office kit FEATURE

Chairs
breathe more easily.
And, by making the right
adjustments to your chair
(assuming your chair is
flexible), you can also get
your blood flowing freely.
In fact, given the time
you’ll likely spent sitting
down, you need to pay as
much attention to a chair
as you would to a bed. It’s
worth splashing out a little
more if you can afford it.

Are you sitting
comfortably? No? Well,
you should be. A comfy
chair is essential if
you’re working from
home because not only
will it help you to be more
productive, it can also
promote good health.
A decent office chair
will sufficiently support
your body so you
develop fewer pains and

1

1

2

Humanscale – World
One Task Chair

Herman Miller Sayl
> From £677 > hermanmiller.com
> Indulge in a little luxury.
Herman Miller chairs are pricey
but the strikingly elegant Sayl
model, with its plastic webbed
back, choice of coloured
upholstery and customisable
arms, seat and lumbar support
helps make premium a little
more affordable.

> £774 > humanscale.com
> Humanscale’s work-fromhome chair automatically
adapts according to the
weight of whoever sits
on it. Its arms also move as
you recline, ensuring perfect
support and positioning
every time it’s used.
2

3

4

3

4

IKEA STIGBYGEL

Steelcase Series 2

> £99 > ikea.co.uk
> The STIGBYGEL is a fresh
spin on a basic office
swivel chair. Made from
paper twine woven by hand
and shaped to best fit and
support your back, it boasts
a rattan-inspired look and
feels so comfortable.

> From £416 > steelcase.com
> As well as a full recline
range, these chairs have
a weight-activated back
tension mechanism to
ensure you get sufficient
support for your body. The
armrests adjust for height,
width, depth and pivot.

ERGONOMICS
1

Look after yourself

> Sitting at a desk all
day can cause neck, back and
shoulder pain. So consider
a desk that can switch from
sitting to standing to encourage
movement, burn off extra calories
and improve your posture.

Image credits: Humanscale, Herman Miller Inc,
Inter IKEA Systems BV, Steelcase Inc

2

Improve your
position

> If you are in a chair, put less
strain on your spine by sitting
upright. Adjust the chair height
so your knees are in line with your
hips, keep your feet flat on the floor
and bend your arms 90 degrees.

3

Grab a cushion

> The best office chairs
will have built-in lumbar support
or at least an option to add it.
The aim is to maintain the natural
curve of your spine, and this can
also be achieved with lumbar
support cushions.

4

Position your screen

> MacBooks are great but
you’re more likely to hunch over
the keyboard. Whenever you can,
raise the screen so that it’s at eye
level (all screens should be in this
position) and use an external
keyboard as well.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 73

FEATURE Home office kit

ADD-ONS & ACCESSORIES
Peripherals that will help take your working life to another level

M

ost users don’t
need anything more
than an Apple Mac
or iPad to work effectively
from home. With the right
software, you should be able
to complete the vast majority
of tasks with ease – but that
doesn’t mean you won’t
benefit from investing in any
number of accessories.
Find a comfortable
keyboard or mouse that best
suits your needs and you may
find yourself working faster
and more efficiently. Switch
to a top microphone and you
might feel more confident in
projecting yourself in online
meetings. A tidy desk can
lead to clearer thinking while
a decent printer can make
reports more professional.
So let’s take a look at the
add-ons that can make
a real difference.

1

1

Lofree Flow100 keyboard
> $169 (about £153) > lofree.co
> For smooth, comfortable, quiet typing
and near-perfect resistance. The solid,
well-built Flow100 low-profile mechanical
keyboard will help you make light work of
tasks carried out on your Mac or iPad.

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

Logitech MX Master
3S wireless mouse

Blue Yeti Nano
microphone

ESR Rebound Magnetic
Keyboard Case 360

OWC 11-Port
Thunderbolt Dock

> £119.99 > logitech.com
> Logitech’s premier mouse makes
precision working nothing less
than a dream. It's compatible with
macOS and iPadOS and fitted with
a super-accurate sensor, seven
customisable buttons and two
scrolling wheels.

> £99.99 > logitechg.com
> Testing, testing… A popular
choice among professional
podcasters due to its great
sound quality, this microphone
– a mini version of the Blue Yeti classic
– will ensure you’re heard loud and
clear on Zoom calls and suchlike.

> From £107.99 > esrgear.com
Don’t want to use your iPad in
landscape? This keyboard case also
lets you place the tablet in a portrait
position. The built-in magnetic stand
lets you easily angle the display and
there’s a secure clasp to hold and
protect your Apple Pencil too.

> £233.80 > owc.com
> Instead of wasting time plugging
and unplugging accessories, invest
in this 11-port Thunderbolt Dock. It
has three Thunderbolt and four USB
ports, an SD card slot, 3.5mm audio
and Gigabit Ethernet for a fast and
uninterrupted network connection.

74 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credits: Lofree, Logitech, ESR,
Other World Computing Inc

Home office kit FEATURE

6

HomePod
> £299 > apple.com/uk
> Music is known to improve
concentration and creativity
while helping you work faster,
so crank up the tunes using
Apple’s finest HomePod. It also
lets you make and receive phone
and FaceTime audio calls.

Polishing cloth
7

6

TwelveSouth
HiRise Pro

Belkin Auto-Tracking
Stand Pro

> £79.99 > twelvesouth.co.uk
> This desktop stand
enables you to adjust the
height position of your
MacBook, perhaps allowing
you to bring the webcam
up to eye level. You can
also insert a MagSafe charger
into a chamber at the base.

> £169.99 > belkin.com/uk
> Stay in shot. Belkin’s
smooth motorised 360-degree
stand uses your iPhone’s
camera and Apple’s DockKit
API to keep you in the frame
whenever you’re video
conferencing, making calls or
recording interactive content.

7

8

10

9

8

9

Star Wars Orbitkey
Nest v2

Epson EcoTank
ET-8500 printer

> £124.90 > orbitkey.eu
> May the charge be with you.
Deep enough to store your MacBook
charger and able to quickly juice up
your Apple devices, this Star-Warsinspired desk organiser also boasts
movable dividers and space
for cards. Like it a lot, we do.

> £649.99 > epson.co.uk
> This printer with a built-in
scanner offers top quality photo
and text printing. And while
expensive, it’ll save you money
in the long run thanks to its
impressive EcoTank which lets
you pour in the ink.

Image credits: Twelve South LLC, Belkin, Orbitkey, Seiko Epson,
Journey UK, Laboratori Fabrici Srl, Apple Inc, BenQ

> £19 > apple.com/uk
> How much? So, yes, Apple’s
polishing cloth is on the pricey
side (and you can buy microfibre
cloths for less) but after spending
so much money on your displays,
you’ll likely want to take good
care of them.

Vitesy Eteria
> £189 > vitesy.com
> Worried about a build up of
allergens and pollutants? Vitesy’s
filterless air purifier monitors your
indoor air and lets you track the
data on your iPhone, making for
a nice, clean working environment.

10

Journey ALTI ULTRA
Fast Wireless Charging
Desk Mat
> £119.99 > journeyofficial.co.uk
> Protect your desk surface.
Journey’s premium double-sided
mat not only peels back to
enable you to hide your documents,
it lets you charge up to two MagSafe
devices on a detachable panel too.

BenQ e-Reading
Desk Lamp
> £199 > benq.eu
> Able to light a large desk area,
this customisable smart lamp
detects ambient light and can be
optimised for screens and paper.
It reduces glare and makes
reading documents easier.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 75

BACK ISSUES Collect them all

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UK’s No 1 magazine for Apple fans
IN PRINT

ON iPAD & iPHONE

ISSUE 408
OCTOBER 2024

ISSUE 407
SEPTEMBER 2024

ISSUE 406
AUGUST 2024

Pick your perfect Mac and more with
our Ultimate Apple Buyer’s Guide
Restore your vintage photographs
What’s next for Apple CarPlay

Get ready for macOS Sequoia! Plus
iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, and more
Apple Intelligence: the pros and cons
Boost your Apple device security

Introducing Apple Intelligence
101 ways to make iCloud truly great
On test: M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air
Take amazing holiday photos

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76 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

BUYING
ADVICE
Our authoritative reviews
help you make more
informed choices

Contact us

EDITED BY

Email your queries and
your questions to
letters@macformat.com

ROB MEAD-GREEN

Our ratings
Our reviews are totally
independent; we’re not
affiliated with Apple or
anyone else, nor are we
influenced by advertisers.

A truly exceptional product.
Award given solely at the
discretion of the editor.

78

80

HARDWARE
78 SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB
79 BlueAnt Soundblade
80 Logitech MX Keys S Combo For Mac
81 Anker Prime 250W
Charging Station

The best example of its
kind when pitted against
comparable products.

A brilliant thing

82 Soundcore Boom 2 Plus
83 Satechi Thunderbolt 4
Docking Station

86

84 HP OfficeJet Pro 8122e
85 Umbra Cup Lamp, TRIBIT StormBox 2

Strongly recommended

86 Group test: VPNs for Mac
SOFTWARE

Worth considering

92 Mercury Weather
Notable flaws

93 The Star Named EOS
94 Logic Pro for iPad 2.0

A waste of your money

94

96 App round-up: Six apps for getting
fit on walks and runs

Image credits: Western Digital/SanDisk Corporation, Logitech, ExpressVPN, Apple Inc

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 77

APPLE CHOICE Hardware

SanDisk’s Desk Drive sits
well on a desk, powered
independently by its own
small mains adaptor.

SanDisk Desk Drive 8TB
External USB 3.2 Gen 2 solid-state drive (SSD)
£663.99 (8TB), £359.99 (4TB) FROM westerndigital.com FEATURES Huge capacity with consistent read and write speeds
of just under 1GB/sec, full APFS Trim support, NVMe interface, USB 3.2 Gen 2, compatible with macOS 14 and later
nterprise solid-state drives have
long been available in capacities
of 8TB and more for those who can
spare an arm and a leg. This year SanDisk and
Samsung have brought them to the consumer,
but are they really worth up to four times the
price of a hard drive of the same size?
SanDisk’s Desk Drive has a distinctive
design that won it one of this year’s Red Dot
product design awards. It’s intended to sit on
the desktop, connected to its own power supply
rather than drawing what it needs over its
USB-C cable. Plug it in and hook it up to your
Mac and 8TB is ready for your media libraries,
backups, movie editing or more. It’s even fast
enough to start up your Apple silicon Mac.
Unlike Samsung’s T5 EVO, SanDisk has
opted for an NVMe interface, which not only
gives it a head start in performance, but also
ensures that it supports Trimming by APFS. The
Desk Drive consistently reads and writes at just
under 1GB/sec, the maximum speed achievable
over USB 3.2 Gen 2 at 10Gbps, and more than
twice that claimed by Samsung for its T5 EVO.
Measured read speeds were 960-990MB/sec,
and write speeds 950-970MB/sec. A first full
Time Machine backup of almost half a million
files totalling 930GB took just over 37 minutes,
at an overall speed of 410MB/sec.
Trim support ensures the Desk Drive
maintains that performance. Whenever macOS

E

VERDICT
If you need the
space, there’s nothing
else at this price that
comes close to its
performance.

★★
★★★★

Huge capacity
Full 10Gbps speed
APFS Trim support
No SMART support

78 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

mounts the drive, APFS scans those storage
blocks marked as being free and returns them
to the care of its firmware for erasing and
re-use. This efficient housekeeping isn’t
normally available to SATA drives like
Samsung’s T5 EVO, whose write performance
can slowly deteriorate as a result.

Not so SMART
The Desk Drive’s only real limitation is imposed
by macOS, which can’t read SMART health
indicators of drives connected by USB 3.x. For
that, you’d need to pay the high premium for
Thunderbolt or USB 4.
The Desk Drive comfortably out-performs
any large hard drive. APFS was designed for
SSDs, and over time and use both free and used
space become heavily fragmented. The most
critical degradation occurs in storage used by
the file system itself, and can cause a hard drive
to slow to a crawl. Even before that a SATA hard
drive is only going to deliver average transfer
rates of around 100MB/sec, a tenth of those
attained by the Desk Drive.
A hard drive of similar size may cost as little
as a quarter of price, but will invariably be far
slower and will only slow further in use.
Samsung’s competitor may be a little cheaper
at present, but can’t match the Desk Drive’s
consistently superior performance. SanDisk
now has the perfect solution. Howard Oakley

Image credit: Western Digital/SanDisk Corporation

Hardware APPLE CHOICE

The Soundblade is available in
white, black, blue, green or pink.

BlueAnt Soundblade
Power up your music, games and movies
$200 (about £184) FROM soundblade.com FEATURES Two front-firing full range drivers, 80mm woofer, 120W peak power

The speaker
can go very
loud indeed,
though it
is quite
directional

VERDICT
A clever and
unobtrusive speaker
that’s best with movies
and gaming, and
passable for music.

n iMac or mid-range monitor
actually does a passable job of
audio playback despite the physical
limitations of their thin design. But as with
TVs, you’re never going to get really big sound
or deep bass out of them. The Soundblade is
essentially a soundbar that’s designed to sit
under your iMac or monitor and solve this
problem. Available in five colours, it has a fairly
plastic but solid enough feel and comes with a
remote control as well as having some touchsensitive buttons to one side of its top surface.
There are three connectivity options and
cables are supplied in the box for USB-C, USB-A
and 3.5mm audio, while pairing over Bluetooth
is also straightforward. This covers any device
you’d want to connect, though on a desktop
you’d probably use USB or 3.5mm for an
uncompressed signal and leave it permanently
connected. Switching between sources is easy
and there are voice prompts that go with this,
though unfortunately these can’t be disabled.
Internally there are two front-firing full
range drivers plus an 80mm woofer on the

A

★★
★★★★

Connectivity options
Tons of volume
Great for movies
and gaming
Very unobtrusive
Less accurate
with music
Slightly plastic feel

Image credit: BlueAnt

The speaker is designed to sit under your iMac or monitor.

underside, and 120W of peak power. The unit’s
feet can be extended using the adaptors in
the box to raise it up a few more centimetres,
both to provide more clearance for a larger
monitor base and to make more space into
which the woofer can bounce its sound. The
speaker can go very loud indeed, though the
small front grille means it is quite directional
and you’ll want to keep it aimed somewhere
between chest and head height.

Making the right noises
There are three EQ modes – Game, Music and
Movies – accessed via the remote, which aren’t
all that different though Movies mode seems to
enhance the EQ range associated with voices.
With music playback the Soundblade is
acceptable, though its shape means it’s never
going to compete with conventional box
speakers. There’s stereo separation but not all
that much, and while the bass is surprisingly
rich it can seem unfocused with some tracks.
Despite some rather excitable claims by
the manufacturer, it’s TV, movies and gaming
that the Soundblade is happiest with, where
absolute fidelity is less important than
a weighty and attention-grabbing sound. If
you’re opting for this design over conventional
speakers you will do so because you value its
unobtrusiveness – and it really doesn’t clutter
your desk up at all – and probably be able to live
with the compromises. For volume and low-end
reproduction it’s much punchier than any
computer speaker and essentially takes up no
space, as underneath a monitor is typically a
dead area. It’s arguably a little expensive at the
list price but can be had at a discount online,
making it an easier decision. Hollin Jones

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 79

Hardware APPLE CHOICE

The space-grey
Combo pack is
designed specifically
for Mac users.

Logitech MX Keys
S Combo For Mac
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it…
£199.99 FROM logitech.com FEATURES Bluetooth, 12 Function keys, five-month battery with
backlight off (keyboard); Bluetooth, seven buttons, two wheels, 70-day battery (mouse)

Both devices
stick closely to
their original
– and very
successful
– designs

VERDICT
A minor update for
the MX range, but
they’re still among the
best keyboards and
mice available
for Mac users.

★★
★★★★

High-quality combo
Multiple mouse
buttons
Programmable
Function keys
Right-handed
mouse only

Image credit: Logitech

few years have passed since we
reviewed Logitech’s MX keyboard
and mouse, and both devices have
continued to sell well since their launch in
2020. However, Logitech recently updated
both devices, with the new MX Keys S and MX
Master 3S, which can be bought individually,
or together as the MX Keys S Combo For Mac
that we’re reviewing here.
It’s worth noting, though, that there are
two versions of each product available, with
the standard MX Keys S and MX Master 3S
offered for Windows users (although they
are still Mac-compatible as well), while the
‘For Mac’ models are, of course, intended
for the Apple market.
Both devices stick closely to their original
– and very successful – designs. The MX Keys
3S For Mac is a slim, full-size keyboard with
a numeric keypad and
navigation keys. It’s
solidly built,
with firm,

A

comfortable keys, and the Combo pack
includes a wrist-rest as well. There are some
minor changes, though, with an automatic
backlight that can react to the movement of
your hands, and new Function keys for adding
emojis and muting your Mac’s microphone.
The MX Master 3S also sticks with its
familiar, curved design, with a built-in thumbrest and no fewer than seven buttons and two
scrolling wheels. This gets more of an update,
though, with a new 8,000dpi sensor that
provides smoother, more accurate movement,
and a new button mechanism that is quieter
and feels firmer than before.

Multiple devices

The keyboard and mouse both use Bluetooth,
with the ability to pair with three separate
devices, so it’s easy to use them with a desktop
Mac, MacBook and an iPad, and quickly switch
between them when you’re working. Our
only complaint is that the ‘For Mac’
models lack the additional USB
wireless adaptor that is provided
with the standard versions for
Windows users. This adaptor
provides greater reliability and
security than a conventional
Bluetooth connection – which
may be important for business
users in particular – so it’s a
shame that Mac users don’t get
The MX Master 3S includes no fewer than seven buttons and two scrolling wheels.
this option as well. Cliff Joseph

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 80

Hardware APPLE CHOICE
The charger can split 250W across
its six ports or supply 140W and
100W from ports 1 and 2.

Anker Prime 250W
Charging Station
250W of flexible charging from your desktop
£170 FROM anker.com/uk FEATURES Six ports, 250W total output, USB-C, USB-A, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LCD display, app
he business of charging our devices
has never been more important,
with many of us owning a notebook,
phone and tablet too. Anker continues to push
charging technology forward with its most
advanced model yet, a 250W, six-port device
that’s designed to live on your desktop. It’s
powered by Gallium nitride (GaN) technology,
which allows for higher power in a smaller unit,
and this charger can output a serious amount
of juice even with several devices connected.
It looks like a clock radio and on the front
has four USB-C ports as well as a dynamic
display that provides impressive and live visual
feedback about current power levels. The first
port can supply up to 140W when using a
compatible cable, enough to charge a 16-inch
MacBook Pro to 50% in just 25 minutes and to
full in 1.5hrs. There are several modes that can
be set using the digital crown dial: AI mode
allocates power intelligently based on what’s
connected, while Port Priority mode lets you
max out specific ports if you need to, say to
charge one or two devices as fast as possible.
Dual Laptop mode splits a maximum of 70W
each to the first two USB-Cs and Low Current
mode provides a lower rating for charging
devices overnight to minimise battery wear. The
two USB-A ports on the side never drop below
15W regardless of mode which is still plenty for
most devices using that older protocol. Though

T

VERDICT
An excellent charger
with tons of power
and flexibility for all
your devices.

★★
★★★★

Up to 140W to
MacBook Pro
Manually set
port priority
Excellent display
Wi-Fi and app control
Pricey if your needs
are more modest

Image credit: Anker

the maximum power an iPhone or iPad can
draw varies based on model, with newer ones
faring better, pretty much any mode here will
charge them as fast as they can be charged.

Only connect
Rather unusually the charger also has
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity and an
app that you can use to manage it remotely.
Realtime stats can be viewed and you can also
change charging modes and manage software
updates. While most of these aren’t critical
tasks to do remotely it’s a nice bonus feature
to have. A Wi-Fi connection also enables the
use of a customisable clock face on the charger,
which again is a welcome touch.
Although pricier than standard chargers
this is a much more advanced device and will
replace a bunch of wall-plugs in one handy,
compact box. While you might just leave it on
AI mode so it intelligently reacts to whatever
you plug in, it’s great to have the ability to
direct power to specific ports, say when you
need to charge two things as fast as possible.
Thanks to its high overall rating many people
will also appreciate sending 140W or 100W to
a laptop but also retaining significant capacity
across the other ports at the same time – 100W,
3x45W and 2x15W. To top it off, excellent visual
feedback makes all this easy to keep track of.
Hollin Jones

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 81

APPLE CHOICE Hardware

With powerful sound and
bass, this water-resistant
speaker is ideal for
outdoor use.

Soundcore Boom 2 Plus
Boom by name, boom by nature
£200 FROM soundcore.com FEATURES 100W output (140W with bass boost), IPX7 water-resistance,
Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC, 44x15x23cm, 3.8kg

The bass isn’t
overwhelming,
and lighter
details ring
out clearly

also a button that can activate the speaker’s
e liked the compact and portable
‘BassUp’ feature, which boosts the bass and
Motion X500 speaker Soundcore
also kicks the volume up to a seriously loud
launched a few months ago
140W. Using BassUp does affect the battery life,
(#MF399), but new Boom 2 Plus is a
but 100W should be more than enough most of
different proposition altogether. Like the
the time, and Soundcore says you’ll get 20
Boom 2 (#MF404), it’s portable – just – but
hours of music at 50% volume when
it’s much larger and more powerful
not using BassUp.
than the X500, and fully lives up to
its boombastic title.
The speaker weighs a hefty
3.9kg, but it does have a built-in
The Boom 2 Plus supports Apple’s
handle and a detachable shoulder
AAC codec for Bluetooth audio and
strap to help you carry it around. It’s
it provides very good sound quality.
sturdily built, with metal grilles on
The reverberating bass riff on Kylie
the front and back and an IPX7
Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out Of My
rating that can cope with total
Head lands with a good firm thud –
immersion in water up to 1m deep.
even without using the BassUp option
There’s a rubber flap on the back
– and we could barely reach 30%
that opens to reveal a USB-C
volume without worrying about
charging port and 3.5mm audio
annoying our neighbours. The bass
input, and the USB-C port also
isn’t overwhelming, though, and
provides 10W power output to
lighter details ring out clearly, such
charge your mobile devices as well.
as the crisp, stabbing percussion
Inside the speaker you’ll find two
and Kylie’s whispered – “set me
4.5-inch woofers and two 1-inch
freeeeeeeee…” To our ears the
tweeters that – by default – provide
BassUp feature does sound a little
100W output. There’s also a bass
exaggerated, but that’s the point, and
radiator on each end, adorned by
the Boom 2 Plus will work a treat for
Controls include a
disco lights that can be controlled via BassUp button that
your next BBQ or outdoor party.
the Soundcore app. However, there’s boosts bass and volume. Cliff Joseph

W

Shake the room

VERDICT
A sturdy and
powerful speaker for
outdoor use, with
good battery life and
well-balanced sound.

★★
★★★★
Seriously loud
Powerful bass
Disco lights!
Big and heavy

82 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Soundcore

Hardware APPLE CHOICE

The dock is very compact but can
power a laptop and multiple displays.

Satechi Thunderbolt 4
Docking Station
The easy way to add more ports to your Mac
$300 (about £280) FROM satechi.net FEATURES Thunderbolt 4, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, SD 4.0, audio jack

This model has
the edge when
it comes to a
pleasing design
and portability

VERDICT
A compact and
powerful dock
with tons of
features, notably
impressive external
display support.

★★
★★★★

Power laptop and
devices easily
Add more displays
even to M1/2/3 Macs
Good all-round
port selection
No native
DisplayPort

Image credit: Satechi

ocks have become increasingly
essential for many Mac users who
want to connect more peripherals
than Apple’s computers allow by themselves.
Satechi’s newest model fits an astonishing
amount of power into its very compact but solid
frame and is perfect both for a home studio or
office setup or for those working on the move.
With its smoothed edges and aluminium build it
complements your MacBook, and thanks to its
bundled 180W power supply it can send 96W
directly to your notebook, enough to charge
even the largest models, as well as 2x15W to
smaller devices like iPads or iPhones.
There’s a total of 11 ports starting with
a Thunderbolt 4 To Host (earlier variants of
Thunderbolt and USB-C will work, but with
lower top speeds), three Thunderbolt 4
downstream ports at up to 40Gbps, two USB-A
3.2 ports, a gigabit Ethernet port, audio in/out,
an SD Card slot (SD 4.0/UHS-II up to 312MB/s)
and finally two HDMI ports. A 0.8m cable is also
supplied to handle power and data between the
dock and your Mac. The port layout is welldesigned and the dock can even work standing
on its end when space is at a premium.
So far, it’s offering a great selection of ports
split nicely between newer Thunderbolt/USB-C
with a couple of USB-A for older peripherals. It’s
the docking station’s display capabilities that
set it apart, however. While Macs with Pro Max
chips can run up to four external monitors, Pro

D

systems can run two and M1/2/3 systems can
only run one. This dock enables Pro chip Macs
to run up to four displays at 4K/60Hz by
connecting two via Thunderbolt and two over
HDMI. And regular M-series Macs can add two
additional displays for a total of three.

Extending external displays
To enable this you have to install the free
DisplayLink software and run through a couple
of simple steps, but once you have, it just
works. Satechi also points out that the new M3
MacBook Air supports up to two displays at
4K/60Hz when in clamshell mode, so with the
dock that’s a possible total of four displays.
Apple’s restrictions on running external
monitors – and the confusion about which
systems can do what – are irritating, so it’s
great to be able to extend your desktop more
widely even if you have an entry-level system.
Note that there’s no DisplayPort support on the
dock so your monitors will need Thunderbolt or
HDMI unless you want to start buying adaptors.
Priced comparably with other docks using
a similar number of ports, this model has the
edge when it comes to a pleasing design and
portability and crucially also on the support for
more monitors than Apple allows. As such it’s of
most interest to Mac users with an M or M Pro
system, though even if you’re not pushing it to
its limits, it’s still a very capable all-round way to
expand your Mac’s connectivity. Hollin Jones

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 83

APPLE CHOICE Hardware

The OfficeJet Pro 8122e
is ideal for both office
use and photo printing.

HP OfficeJet Pro 8122e
A home printer that does more than look good on paper
£110 FROM hp.com FEATURES 225-sheet cassette, 35-sheet automatic
document feeder, Wi-Fi, USB or Ethernet, four separate ink tanks, smart iOS app

Despite a few
minor moans,
this printer is
great value
for money

VERDICT
A very capable
printer at an
excellent price.

★★
★★★★

Good feature range
Quality printing
Great value for money
Blocks third-party
cartridges

he quality of home printers
has come on so much that
specialisation is almost moot. Your
average photo printer can pump out text just
as well as an office printer, and office printers
are surprisingly good with photographs.
This particular office printer features four
ink tanks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black, all
of which are pigment-based. It’s three-function
– print, copy and scan – and can connect to
your network through Wi-Fi or Ethernet, or
directly to your Mac using USB. It prints on
paper of up to A4 in size, has automatic duplex
for two-sided printing and a document feeder
on top that can hold up to 35 sheets. There’s
room for 225 sheets in the input tray. You
can send faxes with the mobile app, but not
receive them, and it’s recommended for
teams of up to five users.
The OfficeJet Pro 8122e can handle all
types and sizes of photo paper (up to A4), but
you have to pull out the tray and replace your
plain paper when photo printing, as there isn’t
a second tray for photo paper. Our regular A4
photo test document printed very well. Maybe
it was a little too dark to be perfect, but flesh
tones looked smooth and realistic, objects were
sharp and well realised and the black gradient
ramp looked smooth and devoid of banding.
The detail could possibly have been a little

T

84 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

sharper, but if you buy the printer for officetype use and then use it for photos when
needed, you won’t be disappointed. A little
fiddly, then, but the results are great.

Character study
Text quality didn’t disappoint either. Each
character was clear and precise, and it was
readable even at very low point sizes. While not
perfect (there was a slight burr on the edges of
some of the larger fonts), its solid lines and vivid
lettering make it ideal for business letters and
other such correspondence. It’s fast too. It can
print black and white pages at around 20 pages
per minute, and colour pages at 10 pages per
minute. Just the thing if it’s shared by several
people and they all want to print at once.
Our final test was to print a two-sided PDF
document on plain paper, and once again, it fell
short of perfection but was very, very capable.
Text is clear and well defined, illustrations
are bold and clear and the ink doesn’t bleed
through the paper and show on the other side.
There’s too much banding on large areas of
a single colour, though.
Despite a few minor moans, this printer is
great value for money. You can spend more and
get more, of course, but if you’re after a solid,
reliable office printer that can handle photos
well too, it won’t let you down. Ian Osborne

Image credit: HP

Hardware APPLE CHOICE

Umbra Cup Lamp
Shed a little light on the situation
£150 FROM uk.umbra.com FEATURES Powered by built-in USB-A cable, USB-A charging
port, wireless control, 16+ million achievable colours, 320 lumens, voice control, custom lighting
schedules, Matter compatible, 21x21x31cm
his natty little
desktop or bedside
lamp has a couple
of tricks up its sleeve.
Firstly, as you can see from
the picture, there’s a cup built
into the base for you to keep
your pens, pencils and other
such knick-knacks. Secondly
– and most interestingly – it
features integrated smart
lighting powered by Nanoleaf.
You can tune its white light
to warm or cool, or choose
from 16 million colours. It’s
controlled through the
Nanoleaf iOS app, and if you
also connect it to a smart

T

VERDICT
A great lamp, but
overpriced and
limited if you don’t
have a Mattercompatible network.

★★
★★★★

Great lighting options
Looks neat
Expensive
Demands Matter hub

home ecosystem, you can use
custom lighting schedules and
voice control. It’s compatible
with Apple Home, Google
Home and Amazon Alexa
using Matter. To power
the lamp, plug it into any
USB-A port. There’s a USB-A
charging port around the
back too.
Setup is easy, as is
controlling the lamp’s features
using the Nanoleaf app.
There’s no bundled remote,
and the only control on the
lamp itself is an on/off dial.
There’s little or no lag, which
is handy when you’re tuning

It’s very handy on
the bedside table.

the colour and brightness to
suit your needs. To integrate
voice control and lighting
schedules, you need a Mattercompatible smart home hub
and a Thread border router.
While Matter is the future
of the connected home, this
restriction might disappoint
some users in the present.
It’s only available in black too.
Ian Osborne

TRIBIT StormBox 2
Budget Bluetooth speakers are getting better
£61 FROM tribit.com FEATURES Charges through USB-C,
Bluetooth 5.3 and 3.5mm cable connectivity, 360° surround
sound, 24-hour playback time, IPX7 waterproof, can pair for
two-unit stereo, 34W peak power, 18x6.9x6.9cm
he TRIBIT
StormBox 2 takes
a substantial step
up from the company’s first
StormBox speaker. It has ten
watts more power, four hours
more battery life, upgraded
Bluetooth and a TWS mode
so you can pair two of the
speakers and use one for the
right sound channel and the
other for the left. There’s also
a TRIBIT app that lets you
customise the sound.
The small speaker
boasts two 48mm full-range
drivers that give a surprisingly

T

VERDICT
The quality here
belies the price. Great
value for money.

★★
★★★★

Excellent value
for money
Brilliant battery life
Great sound quality
Imperfect separation

Image credits: Umbra, TRIBIT

powerful sound. It’s
waterproof to IPX7 standard,
which means if you drop it in
the pool, just fish it out again
and it should be okay. There’s
an in-built mic for calls too.
The StormBox 2’s
performance is excellent for
its size and price. The sound
has plenty of bass – maybe
too much for some, but you
can always turn off the
bass-boosting XBass feature,
or fine-tune the sound in the
app. Intense, powerful hard
rock and metal are well
reproduced, and pop and
country sounds see the vocals
front and centre, sitting well on
the rest of the track. The audio
is very detailed, with each
instrument well reproduced.

The speaker supports a cabled
connection as well as Bluetooth.

Stereo separation is
imperfect, but there’s always
that TWS mode. Overall, it’s
a great speaker that won’t
disappoint. Ian Osborne

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 85

APPLE CHOICE Group test

Stay anonymous online with our
virtual private network picks

Group
test
Reviewed by
NICK PEERS

ON TEST…
> ExpressVPN
> NordVPN
> Norton VPN
> Proton VPN
> Surfshark VPN
> TunnelBear

86 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Surfshark BV

or those worried about
privacy and security
when online, a Virtual
Private Network (VPN) is a
must. This encrypts all your
internet traffic, to not just hide
your identity and location from
online trackers but also your
internet provider. It also protects
you when connected to public
Wi-Fi hotspots.
We’re entering a golden age
of VPNs, where there’s little – if
any – performance penalty
when connected to local servers,
meaning you don’t have to suffer
slower transfer speeds when using
one. But you still need to choose
with care to pick the right blend
of features and security to always
remain protected. You also need
to trust your VPN provider to do
what it says – namely, not keep
logs of your activities that could
be traced back to you.
In this round-up, we’ve picked
out six major VPN providers and
tested them in the key areas of
security, privacy, performance,
ease of use and trust. All six work
across desktop and mobile, and
some work on other devices too.
Read on to discover which VPN
best meets your individual needs
when you’re online.

F

How we tested
First, we tested security by
conducting a series of leak tests
at ipleak.net and dnsleaktest.com
to make sure your actual
location and IP address were
kept hidden while connected
to the VPN. All six VPNs passed
with flying colours.
We then used speedtest.net
to compare the performance
of each VPN in three locations:
locally, on the other side of the
Atlantic and even further afield
in Australia. This was conducted
through a standard fibre
(30Mbps) connection.

Image credit: Proton AG

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 87

APPLE CHOICE Group test

Things to consider…

1

Servers

2

Independent audits

3

Devices

4

Save money

When it comes to bypassing
geographic restrictions, which countries
does your VPN allow you to pretend
you’re in? Also look for VPNs offering
servers that run entirely in RAM and
offer 10Gbps connections for maximum
performance.

Make sure your VPN regularly
submits its no-logs and security policies
to annual testing from independent third
parties to verify their claims.

How many simultaneous
connections does each VPN support?
Will that be enough to cover your
household? Also, do they work with more
than just your Mac and iPhone or iPad?

VPNs offer generous multi-year
discounts. If you can afford to pay
up-front, signing up for one-to-three
years can cut costs by up to 85%.

1

ExpressVPN

NordVPN
£12.23/mo FROM nordvpn.com

£9.94/mo FROM expressvpn.com
ExpressVPN may
no longer enjoy a
dominant position atop the
VPN performance charts,
but it remains competitive
thanks to its lightning-fast
Lightway protocol, which it
uses in place of WireGuard.
It also offers a strong blend of
features and a simple pricing
structure whereby nothing is
locked behind another tier.
Although its server count
is some way behind the
competition, you have a
choice of over 160 locations
across 105 countries. It also
works across almost all device
types, including routers, TVs
and game consoles. You get
ad blocking and a password

1

manager, but it lacks features
now standard elsewhere,
including double hop support.
ExpressVPN’s interface is
a little basic and lacks
information about your
connection. It’s also quite
pricey compared to others.
However, core functionality
and performance remain
strong, and it’s a good choice
for those concerned about
privacy thanks to its frequent
independent audits.

VERDICT
Blistering performance
Frequently audited
Cramped user interface
Lacks some features

★★★★★

88 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

NordVPN has long
been seen as a
jack-of-all-trades, but
even though it doesn’t stand
out in any area, it offers
features, security and speed
in spades. Its NordLynx
protocol – a reworked version
of WireGuard – rivals its major
competitors for speed, while
its interface blends the best
parts of other apps – the
graphical map, accessible
server list and multi-tabbed
layout – to deliver a userfriendly experience.
The provider has worked
hard to expand its coverage
with a network spanning
nearly 6,500 servers covering
111 countries. There are also

2

handy extras, like the optional
DNS filter that blocks ads and
malicious domains, as well as
Meshnet, for creating a virtual
LAN (Local Area Network) so
you, your friends and your
family can connect directly to
each other.
NordVPN is let down by
its cost, and the need to pay
extra to unlock features like
protection against ads and
malware, but there’s still
plenty to recommend it.

VERDICT
Great performance
Meshnet virtual LAN
Expensive one-month plan
Not all features standard

★★★★★

Image credit: ExpressVPN, Nord Security

2

3

4

Proton VPN

Norton VPN
£19.99 for first year, then £39.99/yr FROM uk.norton.com
Norton’s entry may
appear cheap at first
glance – under £20 for the
first year – but unfortunately
it’s evident this is not a core
part of the company’s
offering. Norton VPN has
access to fewer countries (just
29) and servers than its rivals,
offers just two protocols –
neither of them WireGuard or
OpenVPN – and lacks features
now standard elsewhere, from
double VPN connections for
greater security to subjecting
its no-logs and policies to
regular independent audits.
We also discovered Speedtest
was unable to benchmark
the connection when we
connected to far-flung servers

3

Image credit: Gen Digital Inc, Proton AG

in Australia, Japan and New
Zealand. Despite this, the
connection did work.
The app does have the
virtue of being simple to use
(although navigating Norton’s
online account centre is
tortuous at the best of times),
but ultimately while Norton
Secure VPN is a nice bonus
as part of a wider Norton
security package, it falls
far short of its rivals as
a standalone product.

VERDICT
App is easy to use
Simple, competitive pricing
Few options and protocols
So-so performance

★★★★★

€9.99/mo FROM protonvpn.com
Proton VPN may be
a relative newcomer,
but it ticks all the boxes for
security and performance.
It’s also the only provider to
offer a free plan with no
usage limits, although you
can’t choose which server
you connect to. Upgrade to
its VPN Plus plan and you’ll
also unlock premium tools,
including a VPN acceleration
feature and custom VPN hop,
which enables you to route
through multiple servers to
further obscure your identity.
It’s reasonably
straightforward to use, and
the interface provides plenty
of information and shortcuts
for those needing access to

4

some of its clever features,
like Secure Core (for routing
through the company’s safest
servers in privacy-friendly
countries). Sadly, the choice of
a dark theme renders the map
difficult to view.
Performance-wise, Proton
VPN is up there with the very
best – fast speeds even in
far-flung locations. Combined
with its features and security,
it’s an easy sell. Definitely
recommended.

VERDICT
Superb performance
Wide range of features
Generous free plan
Interface is too dark

★★★★★

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 89

APPLE CHOICE Group test

5

6

Surfshark VPN
£14.75/mo FROM surfshark.com
Surfshark offers
performance and
security to rival the best
and stands apart with
several innovative and
unique features. These
include Alternative ID, an
alternate persona you can
use online, and the Surfshark
Nexus Network, which joins
all its servers into a single
network to allow you to move
seamlessly between them.
We particularly like its
interface – it’s not flashy, but
it’s informative about
your connection and what
connections are available.
Key features – including
Static IP and MultiHop – are
easily accessible, but others

5

$9.99/mo (around £9.08) FROM tunnelbear.com

(including ad-blocker and
rotating IP) are hidden away
under Settings.
In terms of performance,
when connected locally or
across the Atlantic, Surfshark
is up there with the best, but
its connection speed drops
off dramatically the further
you go. Another bugbear is
the cost, which is significantly
higher than the competition.
Surfshark is good, but it’s
not that good.

VERDICT
Innovative features
Unlimited devices
Pricy one-month tariff
Performance tails off

★★★★★

90 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

TunnelBear
If you’re looking for
a user-friendly VPN,
TunnelBear may appeal. It’s
simple, uncomplicated and
focusses on a core offering
that will protect your Mac and
mobile devices. Sadly, there’s
no support for your console,
smart TV or router here. It
supports all three major
protocols including WireGuard,
and features a handful of
useful tools, from VigilantBear
(blocks your connection
if the VPN disconnects) to
SplitBear, which enables you
to exclude specific websites
from using the VPN.
SplitBear is TunnelBear’s
main selling point; sadly it falls
short elsewhere, particularly

6

with its performance. Its
speeds are noticeably slower
than most of the other VPNs
on test, particularly when
connected to servers further
away. Nevertheless, if you
want a simple, no-fuss VPN
solution with strong,
independently audited
policies, then TunnelBear is
worth checking out – try its
free tier, which offers a limited
selection of servers and 2GB
monthly traffic.

VERDICT
Simple and user friendly
Unique SplitBear feature
Middling performance
Narrow device support

★★★★★

Image credit: Surfshark BV, TunnelBear LLC

THE WINNER

Proton VPN
Excellent all-rounder with the best bang for your buck
his newcomer
scored highly in
every area.
We were impressed with
virtually all the VPNs on test
– things have changed a lot in
the last few years, particularly
in terms of extra features and
connection speeds, which
are no longer hobbled thanks

T

to the latest encryption
protocols. Four VPNs were
neck-and-neck, but ultimately
Proton VPN won thanks to
excelling in virtually all areas.
NordVPN ran close, but its
failure to include key features
in its standard package
ultimately cost it. Surfshark
deserves mention for its raft

behind, but TunnelBear does
have its merits for those
looking for a beginnerfriendly, no-frills (and cute)
approach. Norton VPN is
best seen as a cheap and
cheerful option for occasional
use; for everyone else, Proton
VPN is our ultimate choice
– this time at least…

of unique features, but its
performance tailed off on
distant servers. ExpressVPN
had no such problems, but
its bare bones approach
offset its admirable
commitment to providing
regular security audits.
TunnelBear and Norton
VPN both lagged sadly

How
do they
compare?
> Specs

ExpressVPN

NordVPN

Norton VPN

Proton VPN

Surfshark VPN

TunnelBear

Website

expressvpn.com

nordvpn.com

uk.norton.com

protonvpn.com

surfshark.com

tunnelbear.com

Monthly price

£9.94

£12.23

£19.99 (annual)

€9.99

£14.75

$9.99 (around £9.08)

Free/trial?

No

No

30-day free trial

Yes, unlimited usage
on one device

No

Yes, 2GB monthly limit

Protocols

Lightway, OpenVPN,
IKEv2

NordLynx, OpenVPN,
IKEv2

IPSec, Mimic

WireGuard, IKEv2

WireGuard, IKEv2

WireGuard, OpenVPN,
IKEv2

Blocks ads

Yes

Yes (DNS filter)

No

Yes (Netshield)

Yes (CleanWeb)

Yes (Chrome only)

Double hop VPN

No

Yes

No

Yes (Secure Core)

Yes (Dynamic
MultiHop)

No

Other features

Password manager,
router support

Meshnet

Ad tracker blocking

Stealth VPN mode,
VPN Accelerator

Alternative ID, StaticIP, SplitBear, GhostBear
Rotating IP

Simultaneous
connections

Eight

10

Five (US), one (UK)

10

Unlimited

Unlimited

No of servers
(countries)

3,000+ (105)

6,471 (111)

Unknown (29)

6,500+ (110+)

3,200+ (100)

5,000+ (47)

> Overall

★★★★★

★★★★★

★★★★★

★★★★★

★★★★★

★★★★★

Note: The final verdict scores reflect the overall opinion of a product and are not necessarily an average of the criteria listed in the table.
Image credit: ExpressVPN, Nord Security, Gen Digital
Inc, Proton AG, Surfshark BV, TunnelBear LLC

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 91

Get forecasts at a glance
and check the weather
for forthcoming trips.

Mercury Weather
As quick as looking out of the window
Free; full feature set £2.99/month; £14.99/year FROM mercuryweather.app NEEDS iOS/PadOS 16 or later, macOS 13 or later

Clear design is
one of the app’s
selling points
and it’s not to be
underestimated

VERDICT
An elegantly simple
yet wonderful weather
app which can help to
make travel plans go
more smoothly

★★
★★★★

Beautiful app design
Clear, easily
understood graphs
Seamless
trip forecasts
Cross-platform apps
Shows weather
warnings
Lacks advanced data

ven if you don’t scroll, Apple’s
Weather app will provide you with
a lot of at-a-glance information.
It’ll show you the current temperature and
conditions, let you see how both unfold over
the upcoming five hours and display part of the
10-day forecast while allowing you to see how
likely it is to rain.
But although the information is clearly
presented, Mercury Weather does a better job.
Not only does the iOS app find space to add
humidity, wind speed and the UV index, it plots
the hourly forecast as a graph over an
eight-hour period, letting you swipe left to view
a full 24 hours. It also makes it simpler to see
the temperature highs and lows and you can
easily view the daytime forecast over eight
days. Clear design is one of the app’s selling
points and it’s not to be underestimated.
If you do scroll – and it’s inevitable that you
will – information continues to be presented in
the most concise way. You’ll also see the night
time forecast, again over eight days, and each
time you tap on a day you’ll see useful data
such as the sunset and sunrise, maximum UV
level, percentage cloud cover, humidity, dew
point, wind speed and rainfall. It’s worth
pointing out that all of the aforementioned
data is displayed on one screen in the iPad and
Mac versions (the latter coming with a handy
menu bar app for speedy checking) and you

E

92 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

get the lot at no cost. If you decide to upgrade
to Premium, however, you’ll get so much more.
The most obvious is a monthly averages
feature showing temperature, sunshine and
precipitation over an entire calendar year.
You will also be able to delve in the settings
and choose between Apple Weather and
OpenWeather as the data source (leaving it
as Dynamic if you’d prefer the app to decide
which is the most accurate for a location).
Subscribers get to use Lock Screen and Home
Screen widgets and you’ll be able to enjoy the
app on Apple Watch for your current location,
complete with watch face complications.
There’s support for StandBy mode and a fab
feature called Trip Forecast too.

Happy holidays
The latter lets you inform the app if you’re
going away by quickly selecting the destination
and dates. When the trip is approaching, it will
automatically show as part of the daily forecast
timeline. The idea is that you don’t need to
know the weather back home if you’re not
going to be there, helping you to better plan
your week without manually switching location.
In some ways this makes it particularly
useful for travellers, but if you appreciate
stunning design, want information fast and like
cross-platform flexibility, Mercury Weather is
truly a breath of fresh air. David Crookes

Image credit: Triple Glazed Studios

Explore the protagonist’s
memories through photos.

The Star Named EOS
A trip down memory lane
£12.79 FROM silverliningstudio.co NEEDS macOS 10.12 or later

Some puzzle
props are
fleeting, but
others weave
their way
throughout
each chapter

VERDICT
A surprisingly deep
story complements
cleverly crafted
camera-based
gameplay.

★★
★★★★

Interesting camera
mechanic
Intriguing puzzles
Poignant story
Peaceful music
Very short
Laggier than it
should be

Image credit: Silver Lining Studio

he Star Named EOS is a point-andclick puzzle game that uses
photography to explore the past.
Those memories revolve around the
protagonist’s mother, a photographer – with
her absence now sharply felt, you seek to
recapture the images she took and discover
the experiences they portrayed.
To complete each level, you must discover
and unravel the puzzles strewn around the
environment. These can involve combining
symbols to open a lockbox or moving objects
to reveal a hidden item. They present a fair
degree of challenge but won’t keep you up
all night scratching your head. Some puzzle
props are fleeting, but others weave their
way throughout each chapter, reappearing
right up to the game’s conclusion.
Your camera plays a starring role. You can
snap shots to help you remember clues, while
you are also tasked with taking three photos
of key elements in each environment. These
images advance the story a little by unlocking
a new memory snippet; reveal all three and a
new entry is added to your journal depicting
an important moment from your past.
These memories tell the story of your
childhood and, most importantly, the impact
your mother had on your life. At first, the
interactions with your parent take the form
of philosophical ponderings that verge on

T

twee. But don’t be put off by these narrations
– as the game progresses, the story takes
a darker turn, and suddenly your mother’s
observations shift from mawkish musings
to urgent pleas to proactively enjoy your
life when the opportunity arises.

From past to present
For most of the game, each scene is entirely
devoid of other people. It is only when you
cease reliving the past and start exploring the
present that you meet another living, breathing
human. It’s a subtle way of reminding the
player of the importance of existing in the here
and now – while also thinking about the future.
At roughly two to three hours long, The
Star Named EOS is a short game. That doesn’t
feel overly problematic since its story wraps up
neatly by the end, but there’s not a lot of replay
value. It also doesn’t feel particularly well
optimised for Mac. We experienced a worrying
amount of lag on our M1 Pro MacBook Pro –
concerning given how simple the game and
its graphics are – and there is no way to
change the graphical settings.
Still, the game pays as much attention to
its heartfelt tale as it does to its enjoyable
puzzles, and we’ve got to commend it for that.
Despite its short length, its beautiful handdrawn graphics, peaceful score and poignant
story will live long in the memory. Alex Blake

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 93

APPLE CHOICE Software

Logic Pro for iPad 2.0
A serious music studio for iPad
One-month free trial, then £4.99/month or £49/year FROM apple.com NEEDS iPadOS 17.4 or later, iPad with A12 Bionic chip or later

The app gets
a new Stem
Splitter tool
which can
analyse any
music track
and split it
into vocal,
bass, drums
and ‘other’
elements

lmost exactly one year ago Apple
released Logic Pro for iPad, along
with Final Cut, the first app it
had created for the platform that could
legitimately wear the ‘Pro’ badge. Indeed,
Logic incorporated a great many features
of the desktop version in a touch-friendly
interface and was comfortably the most
powerful and advanced Digital Audio
Workstation (DAW) app ever made for iPad.
Version 2 is an iteration, bringing some
cool new features while not altering the core
of the app much at all. Logic and Final Cut for
iPad are both subscription apps, unusually for
Apple, costing a few pounds a month or £49 a
year. The question of whether an existing user
should upgrade is therefore moot – since you
have to keep paying to use the app, you’ll get
the update anyway.
Running on a decent range of iPads, some
as old as 2018 models, Logic Pro is a complete
music production environment that can
record audio and MIDI from a range of
connected interfaces and keyboards and
your iPad’s mics, and can also receive input
via touch. A bunch of downloadable tutorials

A

The new Studio Assistant instruments auto-generate
melodies and rhythms for you.

are available inside the app, and template
projects help new users get up and running
as well as improve their skills.
Go beyond these basics however and
you’ll find an accomplished application that
serves the much more advanced needs of
professional producers. MIDI and audio editing,
arrangement, mixing and programming are
all catered for with deep-dive tools and
functions. Audio Units plug-ins are supported,
so where you have bought a third-party

APP TIPS

How to make and mix music with Logic Pro 2.0

Creative touch input

Stem export

Session Assistants

When using the on-screen keys or drum
pads to input notes, you can expand a
velocity panel to the left of the screen
that lets you set the force with which
the note is struck. This makes for less
mechanical-sounding playback.

When exporting a project you can
choose a stereo mixdown, but there
is also an option to export each track
as a separate file. These ‘stems’ can
then be imported on a Mac for more
flexible mixing.

The new Session Assistant instruments
create dynamically-played melodies and
beats, which you can control and adjust
as desired. It’s less like using loops and
more like having real musicians
inventing parts.

94 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Image credit: Apple Inc

Logic Pro for iPad 2.0 APPLE CHOICE

synthesizer or delay unit for example, they
are available to use in projects.
A new feature is the addition to the
existing Drummer instrument of new
Keyboard and Bass ‘Studio Assistant’ players.
Tied to new piano and bass instruments,
these provide auto-generated musical parts
and melodies that you can tweak, making
them more or less complex, plus play in
different keys and follow an existing song
structure using the new Chord track. Although
Logic comes with an excellent selection of
loops and other content the new Session
Players are much more flexible, sounding truly
human. It’s like having extra musicians with
you, and great for generating ideas.

Mix and match
The app also gets a new Stem Splitter tool
which can analyse any music track and split
it into vocal, bass, drums and ‘other’ elements
– essentially un-mixing a song so you can
re-work it. This technology is appearing in
quite a few pro music apps now, and here it
works very well. We’d hope to see it able to
identify more than four types of track in future,

Image credit: Apple Inc

as some others can. To its impressive stable
of bundled instruments, synths and effects
plug-ins, Logic Pro 2 adds the ChromaGlow
for adding warmth and saturation to tracks
and mixes. There’s also a mastering assistant
to help you polish up your end product, and
stem exporting and project exchange with the
desktop version of Logic for greater flexibility.
Many other features remain from V1, like Live
Loop mode for live performance.
Logic Pro for iPad 2.0 is the most powerful
way to make music to a professional level on
the platform, beautifully designed with many
pro features and a superb touch-driven
interface. There are gaps compared to the
desktop version, like no support for musical
scoring, video playback or surround sound,
which we’d hope to see addressed in future.
And the subscription-only model is still
disappointing, though it seems unlikely to
change given the increasing importance to
Apple’s bottom line of software as a service.
Combined with the power of recent iPads
however, especially M-series models, it’s the
most complete music production app available
on the iPad to date. Hollin Jones

Logic Pro allows pro-level
mixing and supports native and
third-party Audio Unit plug-ins.

VERDICT
An accomplished
and beautifully
designed music
production suite
for the iPad.

★★★★
★★

Superb touchfocused workflow
Excellent bundled
content
Studio Assistants
genuinely useful
Some gaps compared
to desktop
Subscription
model only

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 95

6 apps for…

Getting fit on
walks and runs
Get out and about with these top apps

C25K® 5K Run
Trainer & Coach
Free (IAPs) FROM zenlabsfitness.com
NEEDS iOS 14 or later
If you want to get started with
Couch to 5K, it makes sense
to go right to the source.
C25K is the official Couch to 5K app,
and it comes packed with great features.
That includes an audio coach and alerts,
integration with Apple’s Health app,
personalised playlist clips, light and
dark modes, and more. You can start
for free, while the paid-for version
offers extra metrics like calories burned,
as well as Apple Watch integration.

96 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

NHS Couch to 5K
Free FROM nhs.uk/better-health
NEEDS iOS 12 or later
The NHS offers a free way to
get into Couch to 5K, and its
iOS app is an excellent place
to start. You can extend the nine-week
program if you need more time, allowing
you to go at your own pace. There are
on-screen timers so you can see and
hear how far you’ve got to go, while it
works with your preferred music player
to incorporate your music. And with
voiceovers from Sarah Millican, Sanjeev
Kohli and Jo Whiley, you’ll always have a
great companion on your walks and runs.

Zombies, Run!
5k Training
Free (IAPs) FROM zrx.app
NEEDS iOS 15 or later
This app takes the standard
Couch to 5K experience and
turns it on its head, throwing
zombies into the mix to shake things
up. As a member of one of humanity’s
last outposts amid a zombie apocalypse,
you need to travel to other bases to
protect your settlement, while eventually
building up to outrunning zombies as
they give chase. It’s a great way to get
fit and follow a fascinating story from
award-winning novelist Naomi Alderman.

Image credits: Zen Labs Fitness, Department of Health And Social Care (Digital) / Crown Copyright, Six to Start

Get fit APPLE CHOICE

ne of the best and most
straightforward ways to get
fit is through walks and runs.
Doing so lets you get out in the fresh air
and doesn’t require any expensive
equipment or gym memberships, plus you
can go as far as you want, when you want.

O

Nike Run Club:
Running Coach
Free FROM nike.com/nrc-app
NEEDS iOS 16 or later
If you want to get fit through
running, the Nike Run Club
app is one of your best bets.
It comes with a variety of activities
and plans, from basic programmes to half
marathon training and beyond. You can
track your route, pace and heart rate,
plus everything is synced to your Apple
Watch and other supported devices.
And if you want a guided exercise
accompanied by popular coaches and
famous celebrities, the app has that too.

Image credits: Nike Inc, Charity Miles LLC, Apple Inc

That all makes it ideal no matter where you
live or what your goals are. If you want to
improve your health by getting more walks
and runs into your life, there are plenty of
apps to choose from. Here, we’ve picked
six of the best that can help you achieve
your fitness targets. Alex Blake

Charity Miles
Free FROM charitymiles.org
NEEDS iOS 11 or later
Running and charity donations
go hand in hand, and the
Charity Miles app lets you
extend your good work to other people.
Every mile you run helps provide funding
to a charity of your choice. Contributions
can come from your friends, your
employer or from brands and external
companies, and it’s simple for them
all to donate money, whether you’re
competing in an event or just going for
a casual run. Get started and it’ll help
make your runs go even further.

Apple Fitness+
Free FROM apple.com/uk/apple-fitnessplus NEEDS iOS 11 or later
Apple’s Fitness app comes
alive with a subscription to
Apple Fitness+. This opens up a
new side to the app, with a host of guided
activities ranging from meditation and
walking to running and high-intensity
interval training (HIIT). You can compete
with friends and see how they’re doing,
set a custom plan, and listen to stories
as you stroll with Time to Walk. And of
course, it integrates perfectly with your
Apple Watch, helping you track your
progress towards your goals in real time.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 97

Your guide to the best Apple hardware and third-party accessories

iMac

From
£1,399

EXPECTED
OCT 2024
UPDATED
OCT 2023

In October 2023, Apple updated its
only iMac, the 24in model, so that it now
benefits from Apple’s M3 chip. You can now
choose between an 8-core CPU/8-core GPU
at the entry-level, or an 8-core CPU/10-core
GPU on the mid-range and top-tier versions.
You still get a 4.5K (4480x2520) Retina
display, and all models come with 8GB
of memory as standard, but this is now
upgradeable to 24GB throughout. The solidstate drive (SSD) storage ranges from 256GB
on entry-level and mid-range versions to
512GB on the top tier, although you can add
up to 1TB on the entry-level and up to 2TB
on mid-range and top-tier models.
The entry level version is available in Blue,
Green, Pink and Silver, but the mid- and toptier models are also available in Yellow,
Orange and Purple. Each M3 iMac also comes
with a 1080p FaceTime camera, and a sixspeaker sound system with support for spatial
audio. You’ll also find two Thunderbolt/USB 4
ports on each model, with mid-range and toptier options offering two additional USB 3
(USB-C) ports. Rather surprisingly – and
pleasingly – the starting price remains
unchanged at £1,399.

iMac 24in £1,399

iMac 24in £1,599

(Entry level)

(Mid-range)

(Ultimate)

Display: 23.5in 4.5K Retina (4480x2520) with True Tone
Chip: Apple M3 with 8-core CPU (4 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 8GB (upgradeable to 24GB)
Storage: 256GB (upgradeable to 512GB or 1TB)
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 1x Gb Ethernet (option)

Display: 23.5in 4.5K Retina (4480x2520) with True Tone
Chip: Apple M3 with 8-core CPU (4 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 8GB (upgradeable to 24GB)
Storage: 256GB (upgradeable to 512GB, 1TB or 2TB)
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 2x USB 3, 1x Gb Ethernet

Display: 23.5in 4.5K Retina (4480x2520) with True Tone
Chip: Apple M3 with 8-core CPU (4 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 8GB (upgradeable to 16GB)
Storage: 512GB (upgradeable to 1TB or 2TB)
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 2x USB 3, 1x Gb Ethernet

Apple Magic
Mouse
From £79

Apple Magic Keyboard with
Touch ID and Numeric Keypad
From £179

This extended keyboard is a great upgrade
option for any Mac and comes with Touch ID for
faster Mac logins. The black version costs £199.

98 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

Design quirks aside
(we’re looking at you,
Lightning Port), the Magic
Mouse is a great pointing
device, thanks to its Multi
Touch support. The black
version costs £99.

iMac 24in £1,799

Apple Magic
Trackpad
From £129

This Multi Touch glass
trackpad is a thing of
beauty, giving you lots
of control over macOS,
and it’s rechargeable
too. The black version
costs £149.

Apple kit STORE GUIDE
EXPECTED
OCT 2024
UPDATED
JAN 2023

Mac mini
EXPECTED
MAR 2025
UPDATED
MAR 2024

MacBook Air
Apple’s most affordable laptop was
given an upgrade in March 2024, with
both the 13-inch and 15-inch models
now sporting Apple silicon M3 chips,
although an M2-equipped version of
the 13-inch remains available.
The laptop boasts a silent, fanless
design, a six-speaker sound system
(the 13in has four speakers) and spatial
audio. The 13in M3 features an 8-core
CPU, offering 1.6x faster performance
than the M1, along with either an 8- or
a 10-core GPU, giving it a 5.8% boost
in graphics performance. The M3 also
benefits from 100GB/sec memory
bandwidth. Both M3 MacBook Air models
come with 8GB of memory as standard,
configurable to 16 or 24GB, and both can
be configured with up to 2TB of storage.

From
£1,099
The 15in MacBook Air is the thinnest
15in laptop available – 40% thinner than
comparable PC laptops; it’s just 11.5mm
thin and weighs 1.51kg. The 13in Air is
11.3mm thin and weighs 1.24kg. The
Liquid Retina display in the 15in MacBook
Air has a resolution of 2880x1864 pixels,
while the 13in has 2560x1664. Both
support up to one billion colours.
Both M3 MacBook Air models come
with 1080p FaceTime HD cameras,
MagSafe 3, two Thunderbolt/USB 4
ports and a headphone jack and
Bluetooth 5.3, and they now support
Wi-Fi 6E. You also get up to 18 hours
of battery life when viewing video or
15 when web surfing.
Prices for the 13in model start at
£1,099, while the 15in starts at £1,299.

From
£649

Apple’s most affordable desktop
may not come with a mouse, a
trackpad or keyboard, but it’s also
great value starting at even less
than the last model at £649.
Despite the reduction in price, the
Mac mini now boasts Apple’s M2 chip,
plus an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU and
16-core Neural Engine. The 8GB
of memory can now be boosted up
to 24GB, while SSD storage options
range from 256GB all the way up to
2TB. There is now also an M2 Pro
version with a 10-core CPU/16-core
GPU (configurable to 12-core CPU/
19-core GPU), with 16 to 32GB memory
and 512GB to 8TB SSD storage.
Entry-level and mid-range M2 Mac
mini models continue to come with
two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, but
the M2 Pro model has now has four.

Mac mini £649
(Entry level)
Chip: Apple M2, 8-core CPU (4 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 8GB (upgradeable to 24GB)
Storage: 256GB (upgradeable to 512GB, 1TB or 2TB)
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.0,
3.5mm headphone jack, Gb Ethernet (10Gb Ethernet option)

MacBook Air 15in £1,699

Mac mini £1,399

(Entry level)

(Ultimate)

(Ultimate)

Display: 13.6in Liquid Retina with True Tone
Chip: Apple M3 with 8-core CPU (4 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 8GB (upgradeable to 24GB)
Storage: 256GB (upgradeable to 512GB, 1TB or 2TB)
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 3.5mm headphone jack

Display: 15.3in Liquid Retina with True Tone
Chip: Apple M3 with 8-core CPU (4 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 16GB (upgradeable to 24GB)
Storage: 512GB (upgradeable to 1TB or 2TB)
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 3.5mm headphone jack

Chip: Apple M2 Pro with 10-core CPU (4 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 16-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 8GB (upgradeable to 16GB)
Storage: 512GB (upgradeable to 1TB or 2TB)
Ports: 4x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.0,
3.5mm headphone jack, Gb Ethernet (10Gb Ethernet option)

MacBook Air 13in £1,099

TV 4K
From £149

Apple’s third-gen
little black box with
A15 Bionic chip now
adds HDR10+ to the
mix. Prices now start at just
£149 (Wi-Fi only); the standard version now
comes with 64GB of storage, while paying £20
extra gets you 128GB, Ethernet and Thread.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Apple HomePod/
HomePod mini
£99/£299

Apple’s Siri-powered
speakers sound great,
you can link two for
stereo sound, and use them
as smart home hubs. The mini comes in five
colours; the 2nd-gen Midnight/White HomePod
(£299), offers higher spec and spatial audio.

Watch
Series 9,
Ultra 2, SE
From £219

The SE and
Series 9 are water resistant to
50m, but the titanium Ultra 2 is water resistant to
100m. The Series 9 and the Ultra 2 now run on an
S9 SiP and boast an Always-On Retina display, and
all three offer Emergency SOS and Crash Detection.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 99

STORE GUIDE Apple kit
EXPECTED
OCT 2024
UPDATED
OCT 2023

MacBook Pro
From £1,699
October 2023 saw the introduction
of the M3 chip family to the MacBook
Pro. The new 14-inch M3 model is
available with an 8-core CPU/10-core
GPU. But if you step up to the M3 Pro
option, you can opt for either an 11-core
CPU/14-core GPU or a 12-core CPU/
18-core GPU, or the M3 Max which
has a 14-core CPU/30-core GPU.
The 16in options start with the M3 Pro
chip with a 12-core CPU/18-core GPU and
either 18GB or 36GB of unified memory.
Or you can opt for the M3 Max chip with

either a 14-core CPU/30-core GPU or
16-core CPU/40-core GPU. The unified
memory can be upgraded to a max of
128GB on the M3 Max models, while SSD

storage can be upgraded to a max of
8TB on M3 Max models. The 14in M3
and 16in M3 Pro and M3 Max models
now offer up to 22 hours of battery life.

MacBook Pro 14in £1,699

MacBook Pro 16in £2,599

(Entry level)

(Mid-range)

(Ultimate)

Display: 14.2in Liquid Retina XDR (3024x1964) with True Tone
Chip: Apple M3 with 8-core CPU (4 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 8GB (upgradeable to 24GB)
Storage: 512GB (upgradeable to 1TB, 2TB)
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, HDMI port, SDXC card slot

Display: 16.2in Liquid Retina XDR (3456x2234) with True Tone
Chip: Apple M3 Pro with 12-core CPU (6 performance cores,
6 efficiency cores), 18-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 18GB (upgradeable to 36GB)
Storage: 512GB (upgradeable to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB)
Ports: 3x Thunderbolt/USB 4, HDMI port, SDXC card slot

Display: 16.2in Liquid Retina XDR (3456x2234) and True Tone
Chip: Apple M3 Max with 16-core CPU (12 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 40-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 48GB (upgradeable to 128GB)
Storage: 1TB (upgradeable to 2TB, 4TB or 8TB)
Ports: 3x Thunderbolt/USB 4, HDMI port, SDXC card slot

Mac Studio

From
£2,099

The Mac Studio finally received a
long-hoped-for update in June 2023
with the latest model sporting Apple
silicon M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips.
The Mac Studio is up to six times faster
than the most powerful Intel-based
27-inch iMac and up to three times faster
than the M1 Ultra Studio that preceded it.
The Studio’s aluminium body is very
compact for a desktop Mac, measuring
197x197x95mm, but it’s what’s inside that
counts. The M2 Max chip has a 12-core
CPU, a 30-core GPU (upgradeable to
38-core), and 32GB of memory
(configurable to 96GB). The M2 Ultra
comes with a 24-core CPU, 60-core GPU
(upgradeable to 76-core), and 64GB of

EXPECTED
JUNE 2025
UPDATED
JUNE 2023

The Mac Studio is Apple’s most powerful
desktop Mac to date – it’s pricy though.

unified memory (upgradeable to 192GB).
Storage options on both scale up to 8TB.
The Mac Studio M2 Max starts at
£2,099, and the M2 Ultra starts at
£4,199, so these machines are not for
everyone. But both offer an incredible
array of connectivity options and
support for the more pro user.

Mac Studio £2,099

Mac Studio £4,199

(Entry level)

(Ultimate)

Chip: M2 Max with 12-core CPU (8 performance cores,
4 efficiency cores), 30-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 32GB (upgradeable to 96GB)
Storage: 512GB (upgradeable to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB)
Ports: 4x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, HDMI 2.0,
3.5mm headphone jack, 10Gb Ethernet, SDXC card slot

Chip: M2 Ultra with 24-core CPU (16 performance cores,
8 efficiency cores), 60-core GPU, 32-core Neural Engine
Memory: 64GB (upgradeable to 192GB)
Storage: 1TB (upgradeable to 2TB, 4TB, 8TB)
Ports: 4x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, HDMI 2.0,
3.5mm headphone jack, 10Gb Ethernet, SDXC card slot

100 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

MacBook Pro 16in £4,099

Studio Display
From £1,499
Launched alongside the original
Mac Studio in March 2022, the
Studio Display is a great addition
to any Mac setup.
Powered by Apple’s A13 Bionic
and running iOS, it features a
27-inch Retina display with 5K
resolution (5120x2880 pixels)
and True Tone, a 12MP Ultra Wide
camera with Centre Stage, and
a six-speaker sound system with
support for spatial audio. A range
of stand options are available, and
you can choose nano-texture glass
for £250 more.

Apple kit STORE GUIDE
EXPECTED
OCT 2024
UPDATED
OCT 2022

EXPECTED
MAY 2025
UPDATED
MAY 2024

EXPECTED
MAY 2025
UPDATED
MAY 2024

iPad/mini
iPad (10th gen) From £349
iPad mini From £499

iPad Air

From
£599

iPad Pro

From
£999

Apple’s entry-level iPad got a
welcome price drop in May 2024,
with prices now starting at £349.
Its specs remain the same, though,
with the iPad (10th gen) sporting a
10.9in display, powered by an A14
Bionic chip. Plus you get an Ultra Wide
12MP front and 12MP back camera.
The iPad also comes with a USB-C
port and is available in four colours.
The iPad mini is a neat little tablet,
with an 8.3in Liquid Retina display.
The cheapest £499 model has 64GB
of storage (a 256GB model is also
available for £649) and comes with
a 12MP Wide camera, Apple Pencil
support and USB-C charging.

In May 2024, Apple announced
a redesigned 11-inch and all-new
13-inch iPad Air. Inside, you’ll now
find an Apple silicon M2 chip. Storage
options now range from 128GB or 1TB,
and there’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
The two new models support the
newly released Apple Pencil Pro, and
can be teamed with Apple’s Magic
Keyboard for powerhouse productivity
on the go. As before, augmented
reality fans will love the LiDARequipped 12MP Wide camera and
Centre Stage. The Liquid Retina
display resolution remains at
2360x1640 on the 11in, but the 13in
boasts a resolution of 2732x2048.
Prices start at a respectable £599
for the 11in and £799 for the 13in.

Alongside the new iPad Air in
May, Apple showed off its newly
designed ‘thinpossible’ iPad Pro
11in and 13in. The iPad Pro models
have now jumped to M4 Apple silicon
to provide incredible performance
and powerful AI capabilities.
Despite the Ultra Retina XDR
display boasting new Tandem OLED
tech, the new iPad Pro is über thin,
with the 13-inch model measuring
just 5.1mm thick! (There’s also a
nano-texture glass option on the 1TB
and 2TB models.) The front camera
is now a Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide
on the iPad’s longest side. Plus, the
Pro supports the new Apple Pencil
Pro, and revamped Magic Keyboard.

iPad

iPad mini

iPad Air

iPad Pro

Display: 10.9in
Chip: A14 Bionic
Storage: 64GB, 256GB
Ports: USB-C
Unlocking: Touch ID

Display: 8.3in
Chip: A15 Bionic
Storage: 64GB, 256GB
Ports: USB-C
Unlocking: Touch ID

Display: 11in or 13in
Chip: Apple M2
Storage: 128GB, 256, 512GB, 1TB
Ports: USB-C
Unlocking: Touch ID

Display: 11in or 13in
Chip: Apple M4
Storage: 256GB-2TB
Ports: Thunderbolt 4
Unlocking: Face ID

Apple Smart Folio
From £59

Available in a range of stylish colours, these
wrap-around magnetic cases will keep your iPad,
iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro looking good for
years, and they double as handy stands.

Apple Pencil/Apple Pencil Pro
From £79

There are now four variations of
Pencil. The 1st- and 2nd-gen models are
still available; Apple released a USB-C
version in November 2023, and in May
2024, Apple unveiled the Apple Pencil
Pro (£129), which contains a barrel
sensor that can feel a user’s squeeze
and a gyroscope for incredible control.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Apple Magic
Keyboard
From £299

Team your iPad with
one of these and you’ll
feel like you’re using a
touchscreen Mac. The
new iPad Pro version
even has a trackpad
with haptic feedback.

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 101

EXPECTED
SEPT 2024
UPDATED
SEPT 2023

STORE GUIDE Apple kit

EXPECTED
MAR 2025
UPDATED
MAR 2022

EXPECTED
SEPT 2024
UPDATED
SEPT 2023

iPhone SE
From £429

iPhone 15/
Plus

iPhone 15
Pro/Pro Max

iPhone 15 From £799
iPhone 15 Plus From £899

iPhone 15 Pro From £999
iPhone 15 Pro Max From £1,199

Apple’s most affordable iPhone
is now even better value, thanks
to a September price reduction of
£20. As with the iPhone 14 range,
the SE works on an A15 Bionic
chip. The iPhone SE offers plenty of
the things people love about iPhone,
including iOS’s phenomenal ease of
use. There’s only a single 12MP Wide
main camera and no Night mode, but
you do get True Tone, a Photonic
engine, and 4K recording.
Battery life is decent too with the
iPhone SE lasting for up to 15 hours
between recharges (with Qi wireless
charging onboard too). The main
thing the iPhone SE misses out on
is Face ID unlocking, making do with
Touch ID on the Home button instead.

In September, Apple launched its
iPhone 15 range. The base model
retains its 6.1in screen, and the Plus
stays at 6.7in, while both handsets
are still of an aluminium build.
Both models now benefit from the
Dynamic Island, while the dual-camera
system has been improved with a
48MP Main camera and a 12MP Ultra
Wide, plus a Photonic Engine for lowlight images and Smart HDR 5. The
iPhone 15 lasts for up to 20 hours
when playing video playback; the Plus
up to 26. And the best news? The 15
and 15 Plus are each £50 cheaper than
the 14 and 14 Plus before them.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
boast a lightweight titanium shell
with a textured matt glass back.
There’s now a new fast Action button
on the side of the handset that acts
as a handy physical shortcut.
The quad-pixel sensor on the
Main camera provides 48MP, 12MP
Ultra Wide, 12 MP Telephoto with up
to 5x optical zoom on the Pro Max.
The 15 Pro and Pro Max are powered
by a graphics-friendly A17 Pro chip.
Video playback times remain at up to
23 hours for the Pro, while the Pro
Max can keep going for 29.

iPhone SE

iPhone 15

iPhone 15 Plus

iPhone 15 Pro

iPhone 15 Pro Max

Display: 4.7in
Chip: A15 Bionic
Storage: 64GB-256GB
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi
Unlocking: Touch ID

Display: 6.1in
Chip: A16 Bionic
Storage: 128GB-512GB
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi
Unlocking: Face ID

Display: 6.7in
Chip: A16 Bionic
Storage: 128GB-512GB
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi
Unlocking: Face ID

Display: 6.1in
Chip: A17 Pro
Storage: 128GB-1TB
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi
Unlocking: Face ID

Display: 6.7in
Chip: A17 Pro
Storage: 256GB-1TB
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi
Unlocking: Face ID

Apple Vision Pro

Apple AirPods Max/
AirPods Pro/AirPods

£3,499

Marking the start of what
Apple hopes is a new era of
spatial computing, the Vision
Pro is now available in the UK.
Equipped with a custom 23 million
pixel microOLED display, the twin
lenses inside the Vision Pro boasts
better than 4K resolution and it

£499/£229/From £169

has spatial audio onboard too.
Driving the whole thing are Apple
silicon M2 and R1 chips, upon which
sit its own dedicated visionOS.

102 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

The AirPods Max are super comfy
and boast Transparency Mode and ANC.
The second-gen AirPods Pro add in
Adaptive Audio. The third-gen AirPods are
available with either a Lightning (£169)
or MagSafe (£179) charging case. All three
come with personalised spatial audio.

Image credit: Apple Inc

Third-party kit STORE GUIDE

BEST BUYS…

BEST BUYS…
Third-party iPhone,
iPad & Watch apps
VIDEO EDITOR (iOS/iPADOS)

LumaFusion 3
EXTERNAL DISPLAY

BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

Philips 27B1U7903

Marshall Middleton

£999, philips.co.uk
An excellent monitor that
satisfies on every level. It’s
expensive, but you do get a
lot of quality for your money.
★★★★★ MF392

£270,
marshallheadphones.com
Meaty, beaty, big and
bouncy, the Middleton
knows how to rock.
★★★★★ MF391
OUR TOP 3

OUR TOP 3

NAS DRIVE

Asustor Lockerstor 2
Gen2 AS6702T
£469, asustor.com
Excellent and versatile
mid-range network
storage.
★★★★★ MF390
OUR TOP 3

PORTABLE SSDS

SUPERFAST CHARGERS

ASUS ZenWiFi XD5

Crucial X8

> £209.99 > MF398
> asus.com/uk

> £212 > MF388
> uk.crucial.com

Satechi 200W
USB-C 6-Port PD GaN

TP-Link Deco X55

SanDisk Extreme

> £219.99 > MF398
> tp-link.com/uk/

> £100 > MF388
> westerndigital.com

Devolo Magic 2
WiFi 6 Starter Kit

OWC Envoy Pro SX

MESH NETWORK DEVICES

£160 > MF392
> satechi.net

Anker 737 Charger
GaNPrime 120W
£70 > MF392
> anker.com/uk

Ugreen Nexode
200W USB-C Desktop

> £285 > MF388
> owc.com

> £219.99 > MF398
> devolo.co.uk

£130 > MF394
> uk.ugreen.com

£29.99 luma-touch.com
A powerful and reasonably priced
video-editing suite. Existing users
can upgrade for free.
★★★★★ MF372
NOTE-TAKING (iOS/iPADOS)

Notability
£8.99 notability.com
Notability is a superb note-taking
app with lots of flexibility. It’s ideal
for a variety of projects.
★★★★★ MF360
SCANNING/OCR (iOS/iPADOS)

GeniusScan+
£9.99 thegrizzlylabs.com
Fast, flexible and useful scanning
with good optical character
recognition (OCR).
★★★★★ MF368
PAGE LAYOUT (iPADOS)

Affinity Publisher 2

BEST BUYS… Third-party Mac apps

£17.99 affinity.serif.com
Serif’s page layout app finally arrives on
iPad and it’s great – even if the interface
takes some getting used to.
★★★★★ MF391
PHOTO EDITOR (iPADOS)

Capture One
PHOTO EDITOR

PRODUCTIVITY TIMER

WRITING APPS

Pixelmator Pro

Vitamin-R 4.18

Scrivener

£49.99 pixelmator.com
Easily improve your
photos with this brilliant
and affordable Mac app. AI
smarts add to its prowess.
★★★★★ MF406

$49.95 (about £38)

£55
literatureandlatte.com
A genuinely outstanding
app that has almost
everything you could ever
need. ★★★★★ MF385

OUR TOP 3

VIDEO EDITORS

publicspace.net
Break your working day
up into short bursts of
distraction-free activity.
★★★★★ MF384
OUR TOP 3

NOTE TAKING APPS

OUR TOP 3

EMAIL

Wondershare Filmora

Agenda

Spark

> £17.49/month > MF387
> wondershare.com

> Free (IAPs)> MF389
> agenda.com

> Free (IAPs > MF375
> sparkmailapp.com

HitFilm (Creator)

Bear

Edison Mail

> £7.99/month > MF387
> fxhome.com

> Free (IAPs) > MF389
> bear.app

> Free (IAPs) > MF375
> mail.edison.tech

Lightworks Create

Simplenote

Airmail Pro

> £9.99/month > MF387
> lwks.com

> Free > MF389
> simplenote.com

> £5.99/month > MF375
> airmailapp.com

Image credits: Koninklijke Philips NV, Marshall Amplification PLC, Asustor Inc, ASUSTeK Computer Inc, Linksys Holdings Inc, devolo AG,
Micron Technology, Inc, Western Digital Corporation, Other World Computing Inc, Satechi, Fantasia Trading LLC, Ugreen Ltd, Skylum,
publicspace.net, Literature & Latte Ltd, Wondershare, Artlist UK Ltd, LWKS.com, Momenta BV, ShinyFrog, Automattic Inc, Spark Mail Ltd,
Edison Software, Bloop, Luma Touch LLC, Ginger Labs, The Grizzly Labs, Serif (Europe) Ltd, Capture One, Silvio Rizzi, inkle Ltd

£4.49/month captureone.com
A comprehensive photo editor offering
powerful Raw conversion and desktopquality editing tools on the iPad.
★★★★★ MF384
RSS READER (iOS)

Reeder 5
£4.99 reederapp.com
Version 5 brings minor, but welcome
improvements to an already great
RSS news-reader app.
★★★★★ MF361
GAME (iOS/iPADOS)

Overboard!
£5.99 inklestudios.com
A gem. A small, but perfectly formed
and entertaining game about a shipbased murder mystery.
★★★★★ MF372

AUTUMN 2024 | MACFORMAT | 103

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EDITORIAL
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Art Editor PAUL BLACHFORD
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CONTRIBUTORS
EDITORIAL: Alex Blake, George Cairns, David Crookes, John-Anthony Disotto, Rhian Drinkwater,
Hollin Jones, Cliff Joseph, Carrie Marshall, Howard Oakley, Ian Osborne, Nick Peers
ART: Apple Inc, Phil Barker, Olly Curtis (Bath Photography Studio)
ADVERTISING
Executive Vice President B2C KEVIN LI YING
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N E X T

M O N T H

macOS Sequoia
What’s inside your next FREE upgrade + top tips and tricks
PLUS: Your must-read iPadOS 18 superguide – secrets revealed!
ALSO INSIDE…
>Rise of the robots – are domestic droids the Next Big Thing in tech?
>Create a shareable slideshow in Photos – we show you how!
>Bring it back – how to work with Versions in Pages

… and much more!

ISSUE 410

ON SALE

15 OCT
2024

Contents subject to change

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GOODBYE Until next issue…

One more thing

iPhone 16

Apple’s AI just got beaten to the punch by Google. But
Graham Barlow thinks Apple will have the last laugh
y the time you’re reading this the
glorious new iPhone 16 will have been
announced. Since nobody really knows
anything for sure about Apple hardware before it
launches I won’t comment on it here, but an iPhone
is not just a hardware product – it’s the seamless
blending of hardware and software that only Apple
can deliver, because it makes both. We do know a lot
about iOS 18, the latest version of the operating system
that runs on it, because Apple told us all about it
already at WWDC in June.
Despite showing off some pretty impressive
features for iOS 18, including a super-intelligent Siri,
fun artificial intelligence image creation features like
Genmoji and generative text features integrated into
your apps, Apple isn’t the first out of the gate with
a super-brain-on-a-phone in the form of an AI
assistant. Google just announced its new Google
Pixel 9 phone with Gemini, its AI, taking over the
role of Google Assistant. Google has finally given
us a phone that we can have a real conversation
with, just as if it’s a human being.

B

I’ll be back
From what we’ve seen of Gemini Live (the voicecontrolled part of the AI experience), it’s genuinely
impressive. Take a picture of the inside of your fridge
and ask it what you should cook for tea and it will
come up with some suggestions. Ask it for a training
plan to get you back into running and it will do it.
In fact, while every movie since The Terminator has
warned us of the dangers of intelligent machines,
it just seems like a lot of fun. What I’m saying is
that Siri has big boots to fill if it wants to steal
Google’s AI thunder.
Of course, Tim Cook does have one ace up
his sleeve – Apple Intelligence will come as part
of your phone (or M-series Mac) for free, whereas
Gemini Advanced, which you need to run Gemini
Live, costs £18.99 a month. There are no premium
tiers or annual subs with Apple Intelligence.
It simply comes as part of the operating system,
so for once it looks like Apple is about to beat
Google at its own game – offering a free service.

106 | MACFORMAT | AUTUMN 2024

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE

15 OCT

Google may have been first out of the gate with its Gemini AI, but you won’t
need a subscription to use Apple Intelligence, just a recent iPhone or Mac.

Image credit: Apple Inc

9000

9001